Effect of Palm Stearin binder to the Mechanical Properties of Alumina using Slip Casting Method

Alumina is one of bio-ceramics that have been used as bone replacement material in modern health care industries due to its good mechanical properties. Unfortunately, their potential as bone implant depends upon its strength and compatibility with the biological environment. Since palm stearin possesses low molecular weight, which can prevent residual stress and distortion with abundantly available in Malaysia (low cost). Furthermore, bone implant using palm stearin as a binder has never been studied before. Thus, a study has been carried out to investigate the effect of different contents of Palm Stearin (35 vol%, 36 vol%, 37vol % and 38 vol%) with different sintering temperatures (1300°C, 1350°C, 1400°C, and 1450°C) using a slip casting process to produce porous alumina like the human bone. The samples then were characterized in terms of physical and mechanical properties. The water impregnation test was used to determine the percentage of porosity of the sample whilst Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) to determine its pore structure. Three-point bend test and hardness test were used to determine its flexural strength and hardness respectively. It was found that by using 36 % volume of palm stearin and 64% volume alumina which sintered at 1400°C has porosity of 41.63% with a pore size measured 112μm in diameter. The flexural strength and hardness valued at 5.366 MPa.