EFFECT OF BALL-MILLING TREATMENT ON SINTERABILITY OF HYDROXYAPATITE CERAMICS INCLUDING BONE MINERALS

: Biological apatite found in the bone and teeth of mammals contains various ions, such as Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , F - and CO 32- . We have previously developed porous hydroxyapatite ceramics, containing bone minerals (bone HAp). These ceramics showed great bone-forming ability and bio-resorbability; however, their mechanical strengths were in sufficient for clinical application. Thus, we focused on the refinement of raw material powder to improve the strength of the resulting bone HAp ceramics. In particular, we clarified the effect of ball milling time on sinterability of the bone HAp powder. Among the prepared samples, the most easily sinterable powder was prepared after ball milling for 1 hour. This powder showed the smallest particle size with a particle size distribution that was close to a uniform distribution. The compressive strengths of Bone HAp ceramics from powders prepared by ball-milling for 30 minutes and 1 hour were of 55.7 MPa and 63.1 MPa, respectively. (Received