Fabrication and mechanical properties of functionally graded material by electrophoretic deposition

This study describes the synthesis of Al(2)O(3)/SiC/ZrO(2) functionally graded material (FGM) in bio-implants (artificial joints) by electrophoretic deposition (EPD). A suitable suspension that was based on 2-butanone was applied for the EPD of Al(2)O(3)/SiC/ZrO(2), and a pressureless sintering process was applied as a presintering. Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) was used to densify the deposit, with beneficial mechanical properties after 2 h at 1800 degrees C in Ar atmosphere. The maximum hardness in the outer layer (90 vol. Al(2)O(3)+10 vol. SiC) and maximum fracture toughness in the core layer (75 vol. Al(2)O(3)+10 vol. SiC + 15 vol. ZrO(2)) composite were 20.8+/-0.3 GPa and 8+/-0.1 MPa m(1/2), respectively. The results, when compared with results from Al(2)O(3)/ZrO(2) FGM, showed that SiC increased the compressive stresses in the outer layers, while the inner layers were under a residual tensile stress.