Development of graded hydroxyapatite/CaCO(3) composite structures for bone ingrowth.

Ceramic composites composed of constituents with different bone cell reactions present an interesting consideration for a new bone replacement material. The first component of the composite used in this study, hydroxyapatite, is known to be replaced by natural tissue significantly slower than the second, calcium carbonate, which has limited structural stability. A graded hydroxyapatite/calcium carbonate composite with bimodal component distribution was developed using a combined slip infiltration and dip-coating technique from a porous polyurethane sponge replica. A graded hydroxyapatite scaffold with porosities from 5 to 90% was produced and then infiltrated with a calcium carbonate slip and sintered. The resultant composite had improved mechanical properties compared with the monolith as measured by crushing and moduli tests.

Phase and microstructural development in alumina sol-gel coatings on CoCr alloy.

Phase transformation of gamma-Al(2)O(3) to alpha-Al(2)O(3) in alumina sol gel coatings on biomedical CoCr alloy was studied as function of heat treatment temperature and time. Transformation in unseeded coatings was significant only above approximately 1200 degrees C. Addition of alpha-Al(2)O(3) seed particles having an average size of approximately 40 nm lowered the phase transformation temperature to around 800 degrees C. These particles were considered to act as heterogeneous nucleation sites for epitaxial growth of the alpha-Al(2)O(3) phase. The kinetics and activation energy (420 kJ/mol) for the phase transformation in the seeded coatings were similar to those reported for seeded monolithic alumina gels indicating that the transformation mechanism is the same in the two material configurations. Avrami growth parameters indicated that the mechanism was diffusion controlled and invariant over the temperature range studied but that growth was possibly constrained by the finite size of the seed particles and/or coating thickness. The phase transformation occurred by the growth of alpha-Al(2)O(3) grains at the expense of the precursor fine-grained gamma-Al(2)O(3) matrix and near-complete transformation coincided with physical impingement of the growing grains. The grain size at impingement was approximately 100 nm which agreed well with that predicted from the theoretical linear spacing of seed particles in the initial sol.

Lignosulfonate adsorption on and stabilization of lead zirconate titanate in aqueous suspension.

The adsorption of lignosulfonate onto a commercial, modified lead zirconate titanate (PZT-PNN) powder in aqueous suspension and its effect on particle zeta potential and suspension rheology were investigated as functions of pH and lignosulfonate dosage. Langmuir analysis of the adsorption data demonstrated that a significant component of the overall driving force of adsorption at all pH values examined was specific (nonelectrostatic) bonding. Electrostatic bonding provided a significant contribution to adsorption at pH 6.0, but diminished at lower pH owing to decreased lignosulfonate ionization and at higher pH due to decreased positive surface site concentration on the PZT-PNN. The affinity of adsorption was highest at pH 6.0 because the electrostatic component was maximal at this pH. The zeta potential magnitude increased and the apparent viscosity decreased with increasing pH and increasing lignosulfonate dosage, up to approximately monolayer coverage. The lignosulfonate dosage required for monolayer coverage decreased with increasing pH owing to increasing lignosulfonate expansion and the decrease in concentration of positive surface sites on the PZT-PNN. Suspension stabilization was considered to occur by an electrosteric mechanism.