Preparation and characterization of ZrO2-Al2O3 bioceramics by stereolithography technology for dental restorations

Abstract ZrO2-Al2O3 bioceramics have potential applications in the field of all-ceramic restorations due to its excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. In this paper, ZrO2-Al2O3 bioceramics were prepared by stereolithography (SL) technology to improve the mechanical performance of ZrO2 all-ceramic restorations. ZrO2-Al2O3 slurry suitable for SL technology was obtained with a solid loading of 45 vol% and a dispersant content of 4 wt%. The relative density, Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of ZrO2-Al2O3 bioceramics all reached their maximum values (99.09%, 16.66 GPa and 6.88 MPa·m1/2) when sintered at 1600 °C. To confirm the biosafety of the prepared ZrO2-Al2O3 bioceramics, rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) were seeded onto the sample surface to perform biological evaluations. It was found that rBMSCs exhibited good adhesion and proliferation capabilities on the surface of ZrO2-Al2O3 bioceramics. This study shows that the ZrO2-Al2O3 bioceramics have excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility via SL method, and have broad application prospects in dental restorations.