Natural and synthetic hydroxyapatite/zirconia composites: A comparative study

Zirconia precursor was precipitated in a HAp particles suspension using two HAp powders of natural origin and a synthetic powder. The first natural HAp was extracted from animal bones by treatment with hot NaOH solution and the second one by treatment under hydrothermal conditions with water.Hydrous zirconia was precipitated in the HAp suspension. Pressureless sintering was performed at 1000–1300 °C and hot pressing at 1050–1300 °C.It was found that zirconia additive promotes decomposition of both HAp of natural origin as well as the synthetic one. The most stable HAp was the one extracted from bovine bones by treatment with water in an autoclave. This reaction leads to the formation of β–TCP and the CaO–ZrO2 solid solution.The hot pressed composites show essentially higher strength and fracture toughness as compared to the pure hydroxyapatite polycrystals.