[Weibull statistical analysis of bending strength data measured either in air or in distilled water for sintered hydroxyapatite ceramics coated on the metal substrate].

To assess the effects of H2O on the fracture stress of sintered hydroxyapatite (HAP) ceramics prepared by procedures similar to those used for HAP coated on the metal substrate, four-point bending tests were carried out at 0.5 mm/min either in air (20 C, R.H. 73%) or in distilled water (37 degrees C). Then, strength data obtained were analyzed using two-parameter weibull statistics. In each condition, the bending strength data gave a good fit to single-mode weibull distribution. Weibull analysis of the data gave weibull parameter m = 7.8, sigma 0 = 26.2 MPa in air and m = 8.1, sigma 0 = 18.5 MPa in distilled water, which were calculated assuming a surface flaw model. The mean value of bending strength was 27.3 MPa in air and 18.2 MPa in distilled water. These results indicated that a corrosive environment such as H2O affects fracture stress when measured at a constant stress rate. This effect is considered to be caused by slow crack growth of cracks, occurring at a loading level lower than those at which specimens will fail. Using the weibull distribution function estimated in this study, the effects of both dimension of specimen and stress distribution in the specimen on the mean fracture stress have been predicted.