Porous hydroxyapatite bioceramics

The fabrication and mechanical properties of the porous hydroxyapatite (HAp) bioceramic developed in this laboratory together with those related calcium phosphate materials are reviewed. Over the past two decades, a number of methods had been developed to fabricate the porous bioceramics with diversified porosities simulating that of living bone structure. However, due to their relatively low mechanical strengths, the uses of the porous HAp/CP ceramics in most of the clinical practices are limited to those implanted sites without bearing loads. Recently, a number of reports have revealed the significance of the microporosity and macroporosity to the mechanical behaviors of the porous HAp ceramic and permit the design of pore structure in the porous bioceramics to achieve satisfactory clinical performances. These findings open the feasibility of developing the porous HAp/CP ceramics with optimum properties to meet both the requirements of tissue-implant biological responses and mechanical properties for loading circumstances.