Fabrication of 1-dimensional porous hydroxyapatite and evaluation of its osteoconductivity.

Porous HA ceramics with 1-dimensional pore channels were fabricated to obtain controllable microstructure. 1-dimensional porous HA was objected to find out the optimum condition of bone ingrowth and also to facilitate the observation of osteocondutive behavior in porous HA. The porous structure was formed by burnt-out of polymeric fibers and the size of pores was determined by the diameter of polymeric fibers.

An improvement in sintering property of beta-tricalcium phosphate by addition of calcium pyrophosphate.

The sintering behavior of calcium pyrophosphate (CPP, Ca2P2O7)-doped beta-tricalcium phosphate [TCP, Ca3(PO4)2], prepared by solid state reaction, was investigated in-situ, using dilatometry. Pure beta-TCP undergoes phase transition to alpha-TCP at about 1200 degrees C; hence pure beta-TCP ceramics should be sintered bclow 1200 degrees C. Pure beta-TCP sintered body can achieve a relative density of only 86% when sintered at 1150 degrees C.