Mechanical Properties

The ultimate values for compressive strength, Young's modulus, and toughness of cylindrical specimens of unitary aspect ratios and uniform grain-size distributions were extrapolated for hydroxyapatite (HAP) to 70 MPa, 9.2 GPa, and 0.36 J cm-3, and for tricalcium phosphate (TCP), to 315 MPa, 21 GPa, and 2.34 J cm-3. For total volume porosities of 50%, the corresponding values were determined: for HAP, 9.3 MPa, 1.2 GPa, 0.042 J cm-3, for TCP, 13 MPa, 1.6 GP, 0.077 J cm-3. Porosities of HAP specimens ranged from 3%–50%; TCP from 10%–70%. Two pore-size distributions were employed. Exponential dependencies of the mechanical properties were found upon porosity (p≡0.0001). No differences in measured mechanical properties, as determined in compression, could be attributed to pore size. The superiority of TCP increases with density and suggests that a larger or more selective pore-size distribution could be effectively employed in TCP biological implants. This work also suggests the dominant role of secondary calcium phosphates in increasing compressive strengths. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers