Fabrication of macro-porous silicon nitride ceramics by bonded EPS ball template and gel-casting method

In the pursuit of advanced biomaterials suitable for orthopedic applications, macro-porous silicon nitride has emerged as a highly promising candidate due to its exceptional biocompatibility, mechanical strength , and potential to stimulate tissue regeneration. This describes the fabrication of macro porous silicon nitride ceramic materials using expanded polystyrene (EPS) particles as pore-forming agents and gel-casting molding for preform preparation. Pore size, porosity and compressive strength of as obtained samples have been varied according to the heating time of the EPS template and the solid content of Si 3 N 4 slurry. Increasing the template heating time leads to a reduction in macropore size from 400 to 300 μm, accompanied by an increase in compressive strength from 12.1 to 15.3 MPa. With increasing in the solid content, the mean pore size of samples have been kept as constant of 320 μm, while the compressive strength increases from 2.79 MPa to 16.74 MPa, attributed to Si 3 N 4 matrix densification. This developed approach offers a customizable strategy for advanced orthopedic biomaterials , addressing the need for reliable solutions in musculoskeletal regenerative medicine.