ImPatienCe

The ‘ImPatienCe’ project aims to study ‘ductile’ cerium-stabilised zirconia-based composites (Ce-TZP composites) prepared using ceramic stereolithography (SLA) additive manufacturing technology and conventional technology (as a reference). In particular, their composition and/or thermal post-treatments and sintering will be adapted with the long-term aim of developing patient-specific ceramic medical implants (e.g. for the jaw, mandibular joint, etc.) with improved osseointegration, biomechanical/functional properties and durability. In this project, three-phase Ce-TZP composites will be optimised to achieve higher stress-induced phase transformation plasticity (TRIP effect) and lower susceptibility to defects, resulting in higher reliability compared to conventional brittle bioceramics (e.g. yttria-stabilised zirconia). The project will focus on studying -the development of the microstructure during sintering, which controls the stress-induced tetragonal (t) phase transformability, -the mechanical behaviour at different scales (micro and macro) and –the reversibility of this transformation by heating. We propose an original approach based on a combination of in-depth microstructural characterisation and in-situ mechanical/thermal experiments to obtain real-time information on the transformation of the tetragonal (t) phase into monoclinic (m) (induced by stress) or m-t (induced by heating), in order to help design the future generation of polycrystalline ceramics based on Ce-TZP composites with improved strength, ductility, toughness, durability and shape memory effect. The latter will be useful for developing new strategies for ‘holding in place’ implanted devices.