Reconstructive and regenerative bone surgery is based on the use of high-tech biocompatible implants needed to restore the functions of the musculoskeletal system of patients. Ti6Al4V is one of the most widely used titanium alloys for a variety of applications where low density and excellent corrosion resistance are required, including biomechanical applications (implants and prostheses). Calcium silicate or wollastonite (CaSiO₃) and calcium hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a bioceramic material used in biomedicine due to its bioactive properties, which can potentially be used for bone repair. In this regard, the research investigates the possibility of using spark plasma sintering technology to obtain new CaSiO₃-HAp biocomposite ceramics reinforced with a Ti6Al4V titanium alloy matrix obtained by additive manufacturing. The phase and elemental compositions, structure, and morphology of the initial CaSiO₃-HAp powder and its ceramic metal biocomposite were studied by X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis methods. The spark plasma sintering technology was shown to be efficient for the consolidation of CaSiO₃-HAp powder in volume with a Ti6Al4V reinforcing matrix to obtain a ceramic metal biocomposite of an integral form. Vickers microhardness values were determined for the alloy and bioceramics (~500 and 560 HV, respectively), as well as for their interface area (~640 HV). An assessment of the critical stress intensity factor K_Ic (crack resistance) was performed. The research result is new and represents a prospect for the creation of high-tech implant products for regenerative bone surgery.

To study the material based on the binary system Ti + Cu (50% atm), samples were produced from powders of commercially pure metals and additionally ground in a ball mill (final size about 12 µm) by spark plasma sintering. The following intermetallic phases were obtained in the materials: CuTi2, TiCu, and Ti3Cu4. The materials have a hardness of 363 and 385 HV (800 and 900 °C), a microhardness of 393 and 397 µHV, a density of 4.24 and 5.23 kg/m³, and resistance to corrosion in acids (weight gain + 0.002% after 24 h of testing according to ISO 16151 for a sample with 900 °C—the best result in comparison with steel 308, AA2024, CuA110Fe3Mn₂). The hardness value varies due to the presence of pure metal agglomerates. The relationship between the temperature of spark plasma sintering and the characteristics of the material (material parameters improve with increasing temperature, segregation is reduced) is revealed.

This study presents the fabrication possibilities of ultra-high-temperature ceramics of ZrB₂-30 vol.%SiC and (ZrB₂-HfB₂)-30 vol.% SiC composition using the reaction spark plasma sintering of composite powders ZrB₂(HfB₂)-(SiO₂-C) under two-stage heating conditions. The phase composition and microstructure of the obtained ceramic materials have been subjected to detailed analysis, their electrical conductivity has been evaluated using the four-contact method, and the electron work function has been determined using Kelvin probe force microscopy. The thermal analysis in the air, as well as the calcination of the samples at temperatures of 800, 1000, and 1200 °C in the air, demonstrated a comparable behavior of the materials in general. However, based on the XRD data and mapping of the distribution of elements on the oxidized surface (EDX), a slightly higher oxidation resistance of the ceramics (ZrB₂-HfB₂)-30 vol.% SiC was observed. The I-V curves of the sample surfaces recorded with atomic force microscopy demonstrated that following oxidation in the air at 1200 °C, the surfaces of the materials exhibited a marked reduction in current conductivity due to the formation of a dielectric layer. However, data obtained from Kelvin probe force microscopy indicated that (ZrB₂-HfB₂)-30 vol.% SiC ceramics also demonstrated enhanced resistance to oxidation.