Abstract
Magnesium substituted hydroxyfluorapatites with the general formula Ca10-xMgx(PO4)(6)F(OH) with (0 <= x <= 2.5) were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The apatite phases were sintered between 1050 and 1150 degrees C. The substitution of Ca(2+)for Mg(2+)had a strong influence on the densification behavior and mechanical properties of the materials. The density increased simultaneously with the increase of Mg(2+)content up tox= 1 and then decreased beyond this value. The X-ray diffraction study indicated that the Mg introduced into the solutions was incorporated into the hydroxyfluorapatite. Mechanical properties: Vickers hardness Hv, Young's modulus E, and shear modulus G were investigated in correlation with the modification of micro-structural characteristics of the sintered materials. According to the obtained properties, these materials possessed sufficient characteristics to be a promising candidate for bone replacement applications.