Effect of sintering parameters on the density and microstructure of carbonate hydroxyapatite

This work documents an investigation into the effect of water on the density and microstructure of carbonate hydroxyapatite in carbon dioxide sintering atmospheres. Carbonate apatites with carbonate contents of between 3.2 and 7.8 wt % were precipitated and the precipitates were formed into dry gels. Isothermal and isochronal sintering experiments were performed under dry carbon dioxide and wet carbon dioxide (containing 3 wt % water) atmospheres. The effect of carbonate content was studied by using two gels both with a green density of 37% and with carbonate contents of 5.8 and 7.8 wt %. Both isothermal and isochronal experiments demonstrated that bloating of the apatite occurred and this behavior was associated with the loss of carbonate from the apatite. It was found that only in wet carbon dioxide atmospheres fully dense translucent carbonate apatite could be formed. 93% dense carbonate apatite was formed after 4 h sintering at temperatures as low as 700 degrees C. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.