Effect of alumina contents on phase stability and mechanical properties of magnesium fluorapatite/alumina composites

The aim of the present work was twofold: to prepare biphasic magnesium fluorapatite (MFA) composites with different amounts of alumina using a two-step sintering process, and to evaluate the effects of various amounts of alumina on the mechanical properties, phase stability, and densification of the composite samples. Initially, MFA powders were prepared with different amounts of alumina by mechanical activation and the MFA composite samples were subsequently prepared using the two-step sintering (TSS) method. In order to determine the appropriate temperature of the first step sintering, conventional sintering of MFA/50% alumina was carried out at temperatures in the range of 1000-1300 °C. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were used to characterize the prepared MFA/alumina composites. The results showed fracture toughness and hardness in the MFA/50% alumina composite samples to increase as a result of alumina addition to their maximum values of 5.82±1.05 MPa m1/2 and 22.09±3.5 GPa, respectively.