Design and Processing of Novel Ceramic Composite Structures for Use in Medical Surgery

Abstract

. In order to fulfill the clinical requirements for strong, tough and stable ceramics for dental applications, we have designed and developed innovative Ceria-stabilized zirconia (Ce-TZP)-based composites. In particular, we have added two kinds of second phases to the Ce-TZP matrix: equiaxed a-Al2O3 grains, for increasing the hardness and the fracture strength, and elongated hexa-aluminates (both SrAl12O19 and CeMgAl11O19), to provide an additional toughening effect by crack deflection/bridging mechanisms. In order to carefully control the composition and the microstructure in those complex composite systems, we have used a novel surface-coating approach for the preparation of the nanostructured composite powders, which allows a perfect tailoring of the microstructural, morphological and compositional features of the composites. Once optimized the sintering cycle for each composite material, both composites reached full densification. Mechanical properties (Vickers hardness, flexural strength and fracture toughness) were evaluated, while the zirconia transformability was followed by means of an optical microscope during load-unload bending tests. The sensitivity to ageing was estimated by autoclave treatments. In spite of a remarkable different behavior – mainly in terms of stress-induced tetragonal to monoclinic zirconia transformability - both materials showed excellent mechanical properties as well as a negligible sensitivity to ageing, thus demonstrating their high potential for new reliable and safe devices for structural biomedical applications.