Processing of porous ceramics –a case study with hydroxyapatite and plantago ovata

Abstract

The present study dealt with the processing and characterization of porous ceramics using Plantago ovata as pore former. Hydroxyapatite was chosen as the base ceramic matrix for creation of pores. The hydroxyapatite powder was prepared by wet chemical method using diammonium hydrogen phosphate and calcium nitrate. The calcined (at 850¡æ) powder was predominantly hydroxyapatite. Porosity in hydroxyapatite compacts were generated on firing pellets of hydroxyapatite and Plantago ovata at 1250¡æ and 1300¡æ. Different volume fraction (0, 1.1, 2.2, 10.5, 20, 28, and 36%) of Plantago ovata was added as porogen. The porosity developed did not follow a linear relationship with pore former. Maximum porosity (42.62%) was recorded at 36 vol% Plantago ovata addition. CCS followed a decreasing trend with increasing pore former vol%. The highest CCS was 56.53 MPa at 0% addition and lowest (3.795MPa) at 36% addition. FESEM images show that both macro and micro porosities are present. The images also indicate that an increase in pore former vol% leads to larger pore size and more porous samples.