Tricalcium Phosphate - Magnesium Interface: Microstructure and Properties

Abstract

The fabrication of a composite material based on magnesium (Mg) and tricalcium phosphate is reported in this work. Rods of -tricalcium phosphate (-TCP) were processed and consolidated together with pure Mg powder through spark plasma sintering (SPS). The microstructure at the interface, the chemical composition and transformation of the components and the microhardness were analysed. The microstructure of the composite shows two zones with welldefined and continuous interface between them: a ceramic zone composed by -TCP filled with Mg and the metallic zone constituted by Mg and Mg rich eutectic. Vickers hardness shows the excellent mechanical interaction between the two zones.