Effects of Mg-Doping and of Reinforcing Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Content on the Structure and Properties of Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposite Ceramics

Abstract

Surfactant-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of magnesium-doped hydroxyapatite (Ca10-xMgx(PO4)(6)(OH)(2)) with 0x1) was realized in aqueous solution at 90 degrees C. -TCP phase was formed in the Mg-0.6-HA sample after heat treatment at 1000 degrees C. Magnesium was found to degrade the sintering ability of Mg-x-HA ceramics. Flexural strength (sigma(f)) was found to decrease as a function of Mg-doped HA. The using of carbon nanotubes as reinforcing agents mitigated the strength loss of Mg-HA ceramics. The flexural strength of Mg-0.6-HA was then increased by nearly 20% from approximately 33 to 39MPa with an optimum addition of 3wt% of multi-walled nanotubes.