Fabrication of α-tricalcium phosphate porous ceramics with controlled pore structure

α-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) porous body with a continuous 10 ∼ 50μm pore structure was attained. The α-TCP porous body was fabricated by conventional sintering process from slurry composed of β-TCP and potato starch. Two molding methods were attempted on the fabrication of the porous body; one is direct casting in alumina crucible (CP method), the other is impregnation in polyurethane sponge (SP method). Porosity was controlled by the amounts of starch added in the slurry. Porous body fabricated by CP method showed higher uniformity of pore size distribution than SP method. Compressive strength of the porous body fabricated by CP method was higher than that of the porous body fabricated by SP method. Compressive strength of the porous body fabricated by CP method increased with decreasing the porosity of the body ranging from 45% to 75%. On the other hand, Compressive strength of the porous body fabricated by SP method did not increase with decreasing its porosity. Formation of macropores more than 100μm due to decomposition of sponge may govern the compressive strength of the porous body when it was fabricated by SP method. These results indicate that the casting process may give easy fabrication with superior structure in porous α-TCP through conventional sintering.