Stereolithography 3D printed calcium pyrophosphate macroporous ceramics for bone grafting

Abstract

Macroporous calcium pyrophosphate ceramics with a pore size of 900 μm and a pore fraction of up to 65% demonstrating compressive strength of 5 ± 1 MPa were formed by DLP stereolithography 3D printing. Mixed sodium-calcium pyrophosphate CaNa2P2O7 was used as an eutectic additive in liquid phase sintering of the ceramics at 600–800 °C. Initial powder charge was selected from a mixture of Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O and NaH2PO4. The pH of the aqueous solution contacting with the manufactured pyrophosphate ceramics in the range (6–7.2) turns out to be acceptable for further biomedical tests as a bone grafting material.

Keywords

• Bioceramics
• Calcium pyrophosphate
• 3D-printing
• Stereolithography
• Gyroid structure
• Liquid phase sintering