A comparison of the mechanical behavior of aluminas in air and simulated body environments

Abstract

Fracture toughness and modulus of rupture tests have been carried out on three aluminas, which differed in composition and microstructure, in a variety of environments (air, deionized water, albumen/salt solution, Ringer's solution, and fresh human plasma). Generally tests in liquid environments were found to result in a reduction in the asmeasured critical stress intensity factor and the modulus of rupture, as compared with the values appertaining to air. However, estimates of the stress for a 50‐year, 99.9% survival probability were encouraging; for high‐purity, small‐grain‐size alumina a value of 112 MN/m² was calculated, which is considerably greater than the estimated maximum tensile stress in a femoral sphere.