Effects of titania content and sintering temperature on structural, mechanical and bioactive behaviors of titania reinforced hydroxyapatite nanocomposites

A study was conducted to demonstrate the preparation of hydroxyapatite (HA)-reinforced nanocomposites with the addition of nanocrystalline TiO ₂ powders by combining high-energy ball milling with spark plasma sintering (SPS) processes. The effects of TiO₂ molar content and the sintering temperature on the phase composition, microstructure, mechanical properties, and bioactive behaviors of the as-prepared nanocomposites have also been studied. The results reveal that the TiO₂ molar content and the sintering temperature are responsible for the phase composition and microstructure of the resultant nanocomposites, and thereby influence the mechanical and bioactive properties. It has also been concluded that the addition of nanocrystalline TiO₂ powders is an attractive way towards achieving a positive effect on improving both the hardness and the Young's modulus of the pure HA.