Structure and physico-mechanical properties of ceramic composite material hydroxyapatite-multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite (HA) as a calcium phosphate mineral from the apatite group, is a natural analogue of an inorganic component of human bone tissue. High biocompatibility and osteoconductivity allow us to use HA for the development of materials for bone implantology. At the same time, there is a need for similarity of a structure, phase composition and physico-mechanical properties of bone implants with to those of human bones. This will allow us to avoid mechanical destruction, allergic or toxic reaction at the implantation site. To obtain a HA-based material with comparable mechanical properties of bones, the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) additives can be used as reinforcing phases. MWCNTs have high mechanical properties and are capable of forming an interconnected structure of HA-MWCNTs.
In this study, a several sets of ceramic samples based on HA with additives of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1 and 2 wt.% MWCNTs were obtained. The structure, phase composition, surface morphology, and physical and mechanical properties of these materials have been studied. Electron microscopic studies have shown that MWCNTs are grouped as agglomerates in the pore space of HA. X-ray diffraction analysis showed a decrease in the α-TCP and β-TCP phases with increasing of the MWCNTs concentration and the HA phase. A decrease in the magnitude of microdeformations and the coherent scattering region is also observed. The microhardness of ceramics increases with the addition of MWCNTs, which is associated both with an increasing in the phase purity of the ceramic composite based on HA and the strengthening effect of MWCNTs in ceramic composite. Thus, MWCNTs lead to a significant effect on the structural and phase composition and mechanical properties of HA ceramics.
This research was carried out with support from the Russian Science Foundation grant No. 25-23-20233 (https://rscf.ru/project/25-23-20233/) and a subsidy grant allocated by the Department of Scientific, Technological Development and Innovative Activities of Tomsk Region (Agreement No. 02/5/2025).

Speaker

Kudryashov Boris Sergeevich
Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science SB RAS, 2/4 Akademicheskiy ave., Tomsk, 634055, Russia, bsk3@ispms.ru
Россия

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