THE EFFECT OF YTTRIA-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA (YSZ) ADDITION ON THE SYNTHESIS OF ΒETA-TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE (β-TCP) FROM BIOGENIC HYDROXYAPATITE

Mira Azah Najihah  Zainurin; Ismail Zainol; Che Nor Aiza Jaafar; Mustafa  Mudhafar

Mira Azah Najihah Zainurin Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
Ismail Zainol Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
Che Nor Aiza Jaafar Universiti Putra Malaysia
Mustafa Mudhafar University of Ahl Al Bayt

Keywords: Fish scale hydroxyapatite (FsHA), yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), sintering temperature, calcium zirconate (CaZrO3)

Abstract

The utilization of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) in medical field has been on demand for their excellent biocompatibility, bioactivity and solubility properties. This material can be produced through degradation of hydroxyapatite (HA) at high temperature. In this research, biogenic hydroxyapatite from fish scales (FsHA) was selected as pre-cursor for the synthesis of β-TCP. The effect of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) addition on degradation of FsHA into β-TCP have been investigated. Different amount of YSZ ranging from 5 to 15 wt% were mixed with FsHA and ball milled into fine powder. The mixture was then sintered at temperature of 1200 °C. The materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results from FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDX analyses proved that the presence of β-TCP in the sintered sample at 1200 oC. The percentage of β-TCP was calculated ranging from 17 to 21 % as analyzed from XRD pattern. It was found that the FsHA/YSZ composite with 5 wt% of YSZ addition produced the highest composition of β-TCP with smallest crystallite size at the ideal sintering temperature of 1200 °C. The results also shown that the FsHA was not fully converted into β-TCP during sintering. Furthermore, XRD analysis also clearly shown the presence of another phase known as calcium zirconate (CaZrO3) phase. The triphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) has high potential to be used as biomaterials for bone fillers applications.