Tantalum infiltration in partially stabilized zirconia for biomedical application

Abstract

This study aims to improve the low-temperature degradation (LTD) performance of 3% mol yttria tetrahedral zirconia polycrystal (3Y-TZP) ceramic. Tantalum ion infiltration fluid was prepared by dispersing Tantalum nanoparticles (Ta-NPs) into the absolute ethyl alcohol. A 3Y-TZP-Ta (3Y-Ta) structure was produced via infiltrating Ta fluid in a pre-sintered porous 3Y-TZP substrate through capillary forces. The microstructure of 3Y-Ta ceramic samples was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. SEM results showed the formation of 3Y-Ta structure. A phase transformation from tetragonal (t) to monoclinic (m) was not observed in as-infiltrated 3Y-TZP specimens. Ta ions segregated at the grain boundaries. A 3Y-Ta structure was made by the Ta fluid infiltration/densification method. 3Y-Ta structure may decrease the susceptibility of 3Y-TZP to LTD. Clinical significance: This study provides theoretical guidance for to reasonable methods to decrease the susceptibility of 3Y-TZP to LTD for biomedical applications.