Mechanical properties of

The ultimate values for compressive strength, Young's modulus, and toughness of cylindrical specimens of unitary aspect ratios and uniform grain-size distributions were extrapolated for hydroxyapatite (HAP) to 70 MPa, 9.2 GPa, and 0.36 J cm-3, and for tricalcium phosphate (TCP), to 315 MPa, 21 GPa, and 2.34 J cm-3. For total volume porosities of 50%, the corresponding values were determined: for HAP, 9.3 MPa, 1.2 GPa, 0.042 J cm-3, for TCP, 13 MPa, 1.6 GP, 0.077 J cm-3. Porosities of HAP specimens ranged from 3%–50%; TCP from 10%–70%. Two pore-size distributions were employed. Exponential dependencies of the mechanical properties were found upon porosity (p0.0001). No differences in measured mechanical properties, as determined in compression, could be attributed to pore size. The superiority of TCP increases with density and suggests that a larger or more selective pore-size distribution could be effectively employed in TCP biological implants. This work also suggests the dominant role of secondary calcium phosphates in increasing compressive strengths. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers