• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.49-49
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.44-44
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• 2004

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.177-182
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• 2005

Large amounts of the waste SiC sludge containing small amounts of Si and organic lubricant were produced during the wire cutting process of the single silicon crystal ingots. The waste SiC sludge was purified by the washing process and the purified SiC powders were used to fabricate continuously porous $SiC-Si_3N_4$ composites using a fibrous monolithic process, in which carbon, $6wt\%\;Y_2O_3-2\;wt\%\;A1_2O_3$ and ethylene vinyl acetate were added as a pore-forming agent, sintering additives, and binder, respectively. In the burning-out process, carbon was fully removed and continuously porous $SiC-Si_3N_4$ composites were successfully fabricated. The green bodies containing SiC, Si particles and sintering additives were nitrided at $1410^{\circ}C$ in a flowing $N_2+10\%\;H_2$ gas mixture. Continuously porous composites were combined with SiC, ${\alpha}Si_3N_4,\;\beta-Si_3N_4$ and a few $\%$ of Fe phases. The pore size of the 2nd and the 3rd passed $SiC-Si_3N_4$ composites was $260\;{\mu}m$ and $35\;{\mu}m$ in diameter, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.10
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• pp.618-624
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• 2008

Various calcium phosphate bioceramics are distinguished by their excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. Especially, the exceptional biodegradability of $\beta$-TCP makes it a bone graft substitute of choice in many clinical applications. The activation of osteoclasts, differentiated from macrophage precursor cells, trigger a cell-mediated resorption mechanism that renders $\beta$-TCP biodegradable. Based on this evidence, we studied the biodegradation process of granular-type $\beta$-TCP bone graft substitute through in vitro and in vivo studies. Raw 264.7 cells treated with RANKL and M-CSF differentiated into osteoclasts with macrophage-like properties, as observed with TRAP stain. These osteoclasts were cultured with $\beta$-TCP nano powders synthesized by microwave-assisted process. We confirmed the phagocytosis of osteoclasts by observing $\beta$-TCP particles in their phagosomes via electron microscopy. No damage to the osteoclasts during phagocytosis was observed, nor did the $\beta$-TCP powders show any sign of cytotoxicity. We also observed the histological changes in subcutaneous tissues of rats implanted with granule-type $\beta$-TCP synthesized by fibrous monolithic process. The $\beta$-TCP bone graft substitute was well surrounded with fibrous tissue, and 4 months after implantation, 60% of its mass had been biodegraded. Also, histological findings via H&E stain showed a higher level of infiltration of lymphocytes as well as macrophages around the granule-type $\beta$-TCP. From the results, we have concluded that macrophages play an important role in the biodegradation process of $\beta$-TCP bone graft substitutes.