Dense fine-grained biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) bioceramics designed by two-step sintering

In this study, dense fine-grained biphasic calcium phosphate bioceramics were designed via the two-step sintering method The starting powder was nanosized calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite, whose phase composition, average particle size and morphology were characterized by XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, laser diffraction and FE-SEM The phase transformations of the initial powder during heating up to 1200 degrees C were examined using TG/DSC At first, conventional sintering was performed and the recorded shrinkage/densification data were used to find out the appropriate experimental conditions for two step sintering The obtained results show that two step sintering yields BCP ceramics consisting of hydroxyapatite and beta-TCP with lull dense, homogeneous structure with average grain size of 375 nm Furthermore BCP ceramics obtained by the two-step sintering method exhibit improved mechanical properties, compared to conventionally sintered BCP (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserve