Indirect selective laser sintering of an apatite-mullite glass-ceramic for potential use in bone replacement applications

Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2006 Jan;220(1):57-68. doi: 10.1243/095441105X69051.

Abstract

The feasibility of using indirect selective laser sintering (SLS) to produce parts from glass-ceramic materials for bone replacement applications has been investigated. A castable glass based on the system SiO2 x Al2O3 x P2O5 x CaO x CaF2 that crystallizes to a glass-ceramic with apatite and mullite phases was produced, blended with an acrylic binder, and processed by SLS. Green parts with good structural integrity were produced using a wide range of processing conditions, allowing both monolayer and multilayer components to be constructed. Following SLS the parts were post-processed to remove the binder and to crystallize fully the material, evolving the apatite and mullite phases. The parts were heated to 1200 degrees C using a number of different time-temperature profiles, following which the processed material was analysed by differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy, and tested for flexural strength. An increase in strength was achieved by infiltrating the brown parts with a resorbable phosphate glass, although this altered the crystal phases present in the material.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum Silicates / chemistry*
  • Apatites / chemistry*
  • Bone Substitutes / analysis
  • Bone Substitutes / chemistry*
  • Ceramics / chemistry*
  • Elasticity
  • Glass / chemistry*
  • Hot Temperature
  • Lasers
  • Materials Testing
  • Particle Size
  • Surface Properties
  • Tensile Strength

Substances

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • Apatites
  • Bone Substitutes
  • aluminosilicate