MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF SILICATE GLASS-CERAMICS CONTAINING TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE

The flexural strength, elastic moduli, Vickers hardness and fracture t oughness for silicate glass-ceramics (anorthite and diopside) containi ng tricalcium phosphate (TCP) were measured. The microstructures of th e silicate glass-ceramics containing TCP were shown to consist of a co mplex structure of rod-like silicate and TCP crystals. The flexural st rengths of glass-ceramics containing 32 wt% TCP for anorthite and 38 w t% TCP for diopside corresponding to a eutectic composition in the pha se diagram were 236 and 226 MPa. The Young's modulus and fracture toug hness of the eutectic compositions were 89.4 GPa and 2.5 MPa .(1/2) fo r anorthite and 126 GPa and 2.3 MPa .(1/2) for diopside, respectively. The anorthite glass-ceramic containing TCP has a lower Young's modulu s in spite of a high strength as compared to other silicate glass-cera mics containing apatite or TCP.