Physical, mechanical properties and antimicrobial analysis of a novel CaO·Al2O3 compound reinforced with Al or Ag particles

• Published in: Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials Vol. 97; pp. 385 - 395
• Main Authors: Gómez de Saravia, Sandra G., Rastelli, Silvia E., Ortega-Avilés, Mayahuel, González-Morán, Carlos O., Rocha-Rangel, Enrique, Miranda-Hernández, José G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2019
• Subjects: Antimicrobial analysis; Calcium aluminate-metal; Mechanical properties; Metallic particles; Snail shell powder; Solid state reactions; Solid state reactions; Mechanical properties; Metallic particles; Antimicrobial analysis; Calcium aluminate-metal; Snail shell powder
• ISSN: 1751-6161; 1878-0180
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2019.05.041

Ceramic-metal (CaO·Al2O3–Al and CaO·Al2O3–Ag) compounds were prepared by mechanical milling and consolidated through an in-situ sintering process. The aim of this work is to study the effects of the Al and Ag particles to ceramic-base compound, primarily in the microstructure, and its mechanical and antimicrobial properties. Chemical systems with a 1:1 M ratio between CaCO3 and Al2O3 powder were formed, with the addition of 10 wt% Al or 10 wt% Ag, respectively. The compound material that consolidated were microstructurally characterized through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, optic microscopy, and X-ray computed tomography. In addition, the hardness, the fracture toughness, the transversal elastic modulus, and the antimicrobial property were evaluated. The results of X-ray diffraction identified the formation of the calcium aluminate phases, such as CaO·6Al2O3 (hibonite:CA6), CaO·2Al2O3 (grossite:CA2), and CaO·Al2O3 (krotite:CA); as well as Al and Ag were identified in its respective system. In addition, the mechanical properties show changes compared to the reference material that was synthesized under the same conditions and, finally, these materials also have an antimicrobial effect, against the Staphylococcus bacterium that is common in the oral cavity, when studied in synthetic saliva.
•The synthesis of a novel CaCO3·Al2O3–Al or Ag from a natural source of CaCO3 is feasible.•Metallic particles have an effect in mechanical properties on the calcium aluminate matrix.•Calcium aluminate-Ag have an antimicrobial property evaluated in saliva synthetic.