DOI: 10.46810/tdfd.1891540 ISSN: 2149-6366

Structural and Mechanical Characterization of Natural Fluoroapatite/3Y-TZP Composites Consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering

Burak Demir
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This study investigates the structural and mechanical properties of natural fluoroapatite (FAP)/3 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (3YSZ) composites consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Powder mixtures containing 0–100 vol.% 3YSZ were prepared and sintered at optimized temperatures between 800 and 1300 °C under 50 MPa for 10 min. Phase composition, microstructure, density, hardness, and fracture toughness were systematically characterized using XRD, SEM-EDS, Archimedes’ method, and Vickers indentation. High relative densities (96–99%) were achieved within short sintering times. XRD results confirmed the coexistence of tetragonal YSZ and hexagonal FAP phases without detectable secondary reactions. Mechanical properties increased with increasing YSZ content. Pure YSZ exhibited the highest hardness (13.66 GPa) and fracture toughness (5.52 MPa m0.5), while the 95YSZ–5FAP composite retained relatively high mechanical performance (13.46 GPa, 4.42 MPa m0.5). Higher FAP contents led to significant reductions in toughness. The results demonstrate that SPS enables dense bioactive composites while preserving the mechanical integrity of zirconia-rich compositions.

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