Development of bioceramic material for spinal surgery implants

Highly porous zirconia-based ceramics were prepared. The ceramic samples sintered at 1600°C had porosities from 40% to 43%, with pore size ranges as follows: "big pore" 100-220 pm and "small pore" 0.8-8 pm. This makes the ceramic structure to be very similar to the structure of the natural spinal bone. The level of mechanical properties of the synthesized zirconia-based ceramics is determined by the pore sizes. The values of the compressive strength and the effective Young's modulus are very similar to those characteristics of the natural spinal bone. (paper)