Yttria and Calcia Partially Stabilized Zirconia for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Yttria and Calcia Partially Stabilized Zirconia are investigated as materials to be used in the manufacture of prosthetic components as well as for coating of THP stems. Ceramic precursors were made by TEMAV SpA using the Gel Supported Precipitation (GSP) process. The GSP (R) process was demonstrated to be very suitable for high purity ceramic precursors production, for the impurities control that can be obtained in each phase of the process itself. Powders have shown very good sintering behavior. Typical final density values are more than 99% T.D. for Y-PSZ and more than 98% T.D. for Ca-PSZ. These results were achieved by low temperature pressureless sintering (1500°C). The paper describes the results of the microstructural characterisation performed both on ceramic precursor and sintered samples, and some preliminary results of the cytocompatibility tests. These tests, made at the Catholic University by Inhibition 3H Thimidine Uptake Test using human lymphocytes, show little or no inhibition of lymphocytes proliferation from Ca-PSZ. Results of cell adhesiveness tests, performed on sintered plates, show a good adhesion of 3T3 fibroblasts on Ca-PSZ. Tests on Y-PSZ are in progress.