Physical and mechanical behavior of hot rolled HDPE/HA composites

In the present study hydroxyapatite (HA) reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were synthesized with possible application as orthopedic implants. HDPE was reinforced with HA particles using a novel hot rolling technique that facilitated uniform dispersion and blending of the reinforcements in the matrix. Composites were processed with up to 50 wt.% HA particles. Scanning Electron Microscopy studies confirmed uniform particle distribution of the reinforcement. Mechanical properties of the composites were examined by tensile tests. Increasing volume fraction of reinforcement from 10–50 wt.% resulted in a 150% increase in elastic modulus and 20% increase in tensile strength. Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction studies indicate that the new blending process can be used to synthesize a crystalline, uniformly reinforced composite having chemical affinity between the matrix and reinforcement.