LOW TEMPERATURE SINTERING OF ALUMINA BIOCERAMIC UNDER NORMAL PRESSURE

Superfine alumina powder with high purity (mean particle size is less than 0.35μm) were used as main starting material for sintering alumina ceramic.A multiple additive MgO-ZrO(YO) was homogeneously added into the batch by the chemical coprecipitation method. Sintering of alumina bioceramic at low temperature (<1600C) was achieved resulting in a dense and high strength alumina ceramic with the bending strength up to 382 MPa and an improved fracture toughness.Mechanism that the multiple additives promote the sintering of alumina ceramic is discussed on the base of XRD and SEM analysis.