The Importance of the Raw Material Sources for Medical Grade Zirconia

ABSTRACT There is interest in zirconia being used in biomedical applications as ball heads for total hip prostheses. Two potential types are under discussion: partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) and tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (TZP) materials. Because of its enhanced material properties especially TZP stabilized with yttria is favourable. To eliminate high amounts of natural radioactive impurities, the precursors are purified. It depends on the kind of the precursor and the purification method to achieve powders having a very low impurity level. Thermodynamical and kinetic investigations on high purity coprecipitated and yttria coated zirconia powders show a different behaviour.