Fabrication of hydroxyapatite ceramic with controlled porosity.

Porous hydroxyapatite (HAp) ceramics were fabricated using poly vinyl butyral (PVB) as a porosifier. The effects of preparation conditions involving PVB particle size, sintering time, and forming pressure (die-pressing technique) on the resultant pore size/structure as well as the pore size distribution were investigated. The experimental results showed that the HAp ceramics with controlled pore characteristics such as pore volume fraction, pore size and pore structure are achievable. It provides the possibility to design HAp ceramics with diverse porosities simulating that of natural bone.