Sintered apatite bodies and composites thereof
First Claim
1. A process for producing a sintered apatite body, which comprises baking an apatite powder material selected from the group consisting of hydroxyapatite, carbonate apatite, fluoroapatite, chloroapatite, precursor materials thereof, the mixtures thereof, in the presence of co-existing water in an amount of not more than about 25% by weight of the apatite material in addition to crystal water, under pressure of at least about 5 kg/cm2 at a temperature of not higher than about 800°
- C. to substantially sinter the apatite material, the crystals of the sintered apatite having fine dense crystalline structures comprising needle-like fine crystals entangled together.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There are provided a novel sintered apatite body and a novel sintered apatite-mineral fiber material composite. The crystals of the sintered apatite have fine dense crystalline structures comprising needle-like fine crystals and are entangled together, whereby the mechanical properties of the sintered apatite body or composite are markedly enhanced. The sintered body and composite wherein the apatite is hydroxyapatite are useful for bioceramic uses. The sintered apatite body or composite is produced by baking an apatite material alone or in contact with a reinforcing mineral fiber material in the presence of water under pressure at a temperature lower than 1000° C., and further at a temperature lower than the temperature causing deterioration of the fiber material in the case of the composite.
68 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A process for producing a sintered apatite body, which comprises baking an apatite powder material selected from the group consisting of hydroxyapatite, carbonate apatite, fluoroapatite, chloroapatite, precursor materials thereof, the mixtures thereof, in the presence of co-existing water in an amount of not more than about 25% by weight of the apatite material in addition to crystal water, under pressure of at least about 5 kg/cm2 at a temperature of not higher than about 800°
- C. to substantially sinter the apatite material, the crystals of the sintered apatite having fine dense crystalline structures comprising needle-like fine crystals entangled together.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A process for producing a sintered apatite composite, which comprises baking a matrix amount of an apatite powder material selected from the group consisting of hydroxyapatite, carbonate apatite, fluoroapatite chloroapatite, precursor materials thereof, and mixtures thereof in contact with a reinforcing effective amount of reinforcing mineral fiber material under pressure of at least about 5 kg/cm2, in the presence of coexisting water in an amount of not more than about 25% by weight of the apatite material in addition to crystal water, at a temperature not higher than about 800°
- C. to substantially sinter the apatite material and lower than the temperature causing substantial deterioration of the fiber material, the crystals of the sintered apatite having fine dense crystalline structures comprising needle-like fine crystals entangled together.
- View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- 14. A sintered apatite-mineral fiber material composite which consists essentially of an effective amount of a reinforcing mineral fiber material and a matrix amount of sintered apatite in contact with the fiber material, said apatite being selected from hydroxyapatite, carbonate apatite, fluoroapatite, chloroapatite and mixtures thereof, wherein the crystals of the sintered apatite have fine dense crystalline structures comprising at least about 30% of needle-like fine crystals and are entangled together and wherein the fiber material is not substantially deteriorated.
Specification