TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of a new zirconia-toughened alumina: promising mechanical properties and absence of in vitro carcinogenicity
AU - Maccauro, Giulio
AU - Bianchino, Gabriella Pompea
AU - Sangiorgi, S
AU - Magnani, G.
AU - Marotta, Domenico
AU - Manicone, Paolo Francesco
AU - Raffaelli, Luca
AU - Rossi Iommetti, Pierfrancesco
AU - Stewart, A
AU - Cittadini, Achille Renato Maria
AU - Sgambato, Alessandro
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - High purity alumina as well as zirconia ceramics have been widely used as orthopaedic implant biomaterials and dental devices displaying optimal, but sometimes exclusive, mechanical properties. In order to combine the advantages of alumina and zirconia ceramic materials different types of composites have been developed in which either zirconia is dispersed in an alumina matrix or vice versa. Orthopaedic and dental implant biomaterials are expected to be in contact with living tissues for a long period of time and their long term toxicity must be carefully evaluated. In this study we report the development of a high performance chromia-doped zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) material which displays promising mechanical properties in terms of hardness, strength and fracture toughness that make it suitable for prosthesis even for small joints. The long-term biocompatibility of this material was also evaluated, mainly in terms of DNA damage, mutagenicity and cancerogenetic potential in mammalian cells. The results obtained suggest that this new ZTA material does not display any longterm carcinogenic effect and it is suitable for biomedical applications from a cancerogenetic point of view. In conclusion, we report the development of a new chromia-doped ZTA material with interesting properties, both from a mechanical and a biocompatibility point of view which warrant further studies on its suitability as a candidate biomaterial for orthopaedic implants and dental devices.
AB - High purity alumina as well as zirconia ceramics have been widely used as orthopaedic implant biomaterials and dental devices displaying optimal, but sometimes exclusive, mechanical properties. In order to combine the advantages of alumina and zirconia ceramic materials different types of composites have been developed in which either zirconia is dispersed in an alumina matrix or vice versa. Orthopaedic and dental implant biomaterials are expected to be in contact with living tissues for a long period of time and their long term toxicity must be carefully evaluated. In this study we report the development of a high performance chromia-doped zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) material which displays promising mechanical properties in terms of hardness, strength and fracture toughness that make it suitable for prosthesis even for small joints. The long-term biocompatibility of this material was also evaluated, mainly in terms of DNA damage, mutagenicity and cancerogenetic potential in mammalian cells. The results obtained suggest that this new ZTA material does not display any longterm carcinogenic effect and it is suitable for biomedical applications from a cancerogenetic point of view. In conclusion, we report the development of a new chromia-doped ZTA material with interesting properties, both from a mechanical and a biocompatibility point of view which warrant further studies on its suitability as a candidate biomaterial for orthopaedic implants and dental devices.
KW - Aluminum Oxide
KW - Biocompatible Materials
KW - Ceramics
KW - Dental Prosthesis
KW - Zirconium
KW - Aluminum Oxide
KW - Biocompatible Materials
KW - Ceramics
KW - Dental Prosthesis
KW - Zirconium
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/28871
M3 - Article
SN - 0394-6320
VL - 22
SP - 773
EP - 779
JO - International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology
JF - International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology
ER -