Sintering and the mechanical properties of the tricalcium phosphate-titania composites.

The sintering of the tricalcium phosphate with different percentages of titania was investigated. The samples were characterized by differential thermal analysis, dilatometry analysis, X-Ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, magic angle scanning nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electronic microscopy measurements. The samples were examined by using the mechanical properties such as rupture strength, Vickers hardness and elastic modulus. The sintering of the tricalcium phosphate-titania composites indicates the evolution of the microstructure, the densification and the mechanical properties. The performances of the composites increase with both the sintering temperature and the addition of the titania. The highest values of the composites of rupture strength (33 MPa), Vickers hardness (270 Hv), Young׳s modulus (33.1GPa) and shear modulus (15.7 GPa) were obtained after the sintering process with 40 wt% titania at 1200 °C. The increase of these performances is due to the formation of the liquid-phase which helps to fill the pores in the microstructure. Above 40 wt% TiO2, the mechanical properties of the composites are hindered by the exaggerated grain growth formation.