Sintering and mechanical properties of magnesium containing hydroxyfluorapatite

Abstract

Magnesium substituted hydroxyfluorapatites with the general formula Ca10-xMgx (PO4)6F(OH) with (0 ≤ x ≤ 2.5) were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The apatite phases were sintered between 1050 and 1150 °C. The substitution of Ca2+ for Mg2+had a strong influence on the densification behavior and mechanical properties of the materials. The density increased simultaneously with the increase of Mg2+content up to x = 1 and then decreased beyond this value. The X-ray diffraction study indicated that the Mg introduced into the solutions was incorporated into the hydroxyfluorapatite. Mechanical properties: Vickers hardness Hv, Young’s modulus E, and shear modulus G were investigated in correlation with the modification of micro-structural characteristics of the sintered materials. According to the obtained properties, these materials possessed sufficient characteristics to be a promising candidate for bone replacement applications.