Papers by Author: E.Z. Erkmen

Abstract: Hydroxylapatite, titania and Bioglass 45S5 are the components generally used for the production of bioactive biomaterials for years. In literature, although the binary composites with the permutation of three components exist, a ternary composite has not yet been tried. Primarily, Bioglass 45S5 was cast, its thermal analysis (Differential thermal analysis (DTA), dilatometric analysis), phase analysis (X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) ), microstructural characterization (Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) ) were performed. Then Bioglass 45S5 powder was ground to fine powder to make its particle size closer to the hydroxylapatite and the titania powders. The particle size of the powders were determined using the laser particle sizer. The DTAs of the 3 components, separately and mixed, were performed. They were then mixed, and ball-milled during 24 hours for a better homogenization. Following drying for 24 hours, pellets of 1 inch diameter were obtained using unaxial manuel press and sintered at 1000, 1100, 1200 °C. Mechanical testing (compression and microhardness), porosity measurement (The Archimèdes Method), phase determination (XRD) and microstructural characterization (SEM) of the composites were then performed. As a conclusion, when sintering temperature was increased, the porosity in the structure was decreased. Between 1100 °C and 1200 °C, a phase transformation occurred. The results of microhardness ( 24.6, 38.99, 316.2 HV (500gf for 15 sec) for the composites sintered at 1000, 1100, 1200 °C, respectively) and subsequent compression tests (93.023±10.5, 298.14±78.074, 371.9684±38.36 MPa, respectively) approved the possible phase transformation between 1100 °C and 1200 °C along with the XRD results.

Abstract: Splitting problems at HA-coated implants are generally due to biological reasons. Bond-coatings were used to prevent the splitting problem of zirconia ceramics; this method can be widely seen in industrial applications. Two main groups were used; the first group consisted of spraying a bond layer of titania onto commercially pure titanium. This followed by a spray of HA with 5, 10 and 15 % zirconia (8 % yttria doped) as main layer onto the first bond-coating. For the second group, the samples were coated without bond-coating. Firstly, X-ray diffraction patterns of the starting powders were taken. Then x-ray diffraction patterns of the plasma sprayed samples were taken. In literature, it was seen that 20 % zirconia was sufficient for the transformation into a monoclinic structure for the bond-coated samples. For this study it was found that 10 % zirconia was sufficient to transform to the same structure of the desired crystalline phase transformation. The coating kept its crystal structure and relatively small amount of amorphous transformation was detected. A similar structure was produced using less zirconia. It was thought that the use of titanium-oxide bond-coating layer would play an important role as a third variable in the results. To further investigate these phenomena, more detailed researches must be conducted with using titanium-oxide yittria stabilized zirconia (8 wt %) hydroxyapatite bond-coatings with HA main coatings.

Abstract: In order to overcome the fragility and to improve the physical stability of hydroxyapatite (HA) on the implant, 5, 10, and 15 % yttria stabilized zirconia (YTZP) was added to the starting plasma spraying HA powder Metco XPT-D-703. From the recent literature it is already known that HA coatings tend to dissolve in body fluid environment. To decrease the dissolution effect many additives like zirconia (Zr) could be added to HA powder. In this study, prepared HA composite powders were sprayed onto titanium (Ti) surfaces with a Metco plasma gun. As a control group, pure HA powder was sprayed onto other Ti samples. All samples were subjected to tensile tests according to the ASTM C-633-79. SEM images were taken using back-scattering from prepared cross-sections. X-ray diffraction images were taken from the surface. It was seen that with the increase of the Zr content, the tensile test values increased. Pure HA showed also that the addition of Zr had improved the tensile bond strenght (TBS) values.