Directional property evaluation of spark plasma sintered GNPs-reinforced hydroxyapatite composites

• Consolidation of graphene reinforced composites.
• Directional microstructure evaluation.
• Directional phase and hardness investigation.

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs)-reinforced hydroxyapatite composites were analyzed in two directions of the applied pressure (perpendicular and parallel). Platelet-shaped pores were observed in the cross-section normal to the applied pressure, whereas elongated or buttonhole type pores around the agglomerated GNPs were found in the parallel cross-section. The normal cross-section of the composite showed lower hardness and higher intensity of XRD peak of (0 0 2) plane than the parallel cross-section.