Synthesis of macroporous β-tricalcium phosphate with controlled porous architectural

beta-Tricalcium phosphate (TCP) macroporous ceramics were produced by a new manufacturing procedure. A polymeric scaffold constituted of polymethylmethacrylate balls (PMMA), welded together by a thermal forming treatment, is impregnated with a TCP aqueous suspension. After drying step, the thermal removal of the organic compound generates an interconnected macroporosity inside the piece. The coalescence of PMMA balls during the thermal forming treatment follows a sintering mechanism of viscous flow type. This behaviour allows to control the dimension of bridging between particles and thus, the interconnection between pores of sintered material. This new process allows to carry out materials with macropore dimensions which can vary between 100 mu m at several millimetres and a perfectly controlled size of interconnection ranging between 0.3 and 0.6 times the macropore diameter. Total porosity volume evolves in an interval from 70 to 80%. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.