Porous Hydroxyapatite/Strontium Oxide Composite Ceramic Preparation and Properties of Biomaterials

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to added strontium to hydroxyapatite (HA) through physical means and prepare porous composite ceramic materials with good mechanical properties to further improve the osteogenesis-inducing effect of bone repairing materials. Methods: The composite powders of strontium oxide/hydroxyapatite (SrO/HA) was obtained by mechanical milling. Then, porous SrO/HA composite ceramics were prepared by spark plasma sintering. The composition, structure and morphology of these porous composite ceramic materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope, and the porosity and mechanical properties were tested. Results: Porous composite ceramic materials with clear composition were prepared, and obvious porous structures were observed. Conclusion: After ball milling, a replacement reaction occurred in the prepared porous SrO/HA composite powder with different SrO contents, part of Ca2+ in HA (Ca10[PO4]6[OH]2was replaced by Sr2+, and merely a small amount of powder underwent decomposition during sintering at 1,100 °C. Under an electron microscope, the pore characteristics of the composite ceramic materials were obvious, the distribution was uniform, and the connectivity was good. The compressive strengths of these materials ranged within 2–8 MPa. This shows that the strontium element can also be doped by physical means, and that the obtained porous SrO/HA composite ceramic material has good pore characteristics and good application potential in bone repair.