Charge-compensating dopant stabilized alumina-zirconia ceramic materials and related materials, apparatus, and methods

1. A method for manufacturing a ceramic biomedical implant, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a first feedstock;

preparing a second feedstock;

preparing a slurry comprising materials from the first feedstock, materials from the second feedstock, and further comprising:

one or more trivalent dopants comprising at least one of yttrium oxide and gadolinium oxide;

one or more pentavalent dopants comprising at least one of tantalum pentoxide and niobium pentoxide, wherein the one or more trivalent dopants are within no more than about 0.5 mol % of the one or more pentavalent dopants; and

one or more additional ingredients comprising or configured to yield at least a portion of a ceramic biomedical implant comprising at least zirconium dioxide, aluminum oxide, at least one of yttrium oxide and gadolinium oxide, and at least one of tantalum pentoxide and niobium pentoxide, wherein the one or more trivalent dopants comprise between about 1.5 mol % and about 6.5 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant, wherein the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant further comprises at least strontium oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium oxide, wherein the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant comprises a combination of aluminum oxide, strontium oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium oxide in a concentration of at least about 84% by volume, and wherein the one or more pentavalent dopants comprise between about 1.5 mol % and about 6.5 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more additional ingredients further comprises cerium oxide.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cerium oxide comprises no more than about 3.0% by mole based on the total molar amounts in the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the molar concentration of the one or more trivalent dopants is at least substantially identical to the molar concentration of the one or more pentavalent dopants.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant comprises aluminum oxide in a concentration of at least about 74% by weight.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant comprises aluminum oxide in a concentration of at least about 74.6% by weight.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of preparing the first feedstock comprises mixing ingredients comprising at least aluminum oxide and strontium carbonate or ingredients selected to yield aluminum oxide and strontium carbonate, and wherein the step of preparing the second feedstock comprises mixing ingredients comprising at least aluminum oxide and calcium carbonate or ingredients selected to yield aluminum oxide and calcium carbonate.

8. A method for manufacturing a ceramic piece, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a slurry comprising, or comprising ingredients configured to yield a ceramic piece comprising, at least:

aluminum oxide;

zirconium dioxide;

a trivalent dopant comprising yttrium oxide; and

one or more pentavalent dopants comprising at least one of tantalum pentoxide and niobium pentoxide, wherein the trivalent dopant is within no more than about 0.5 mol % of the one or more pentavalent dopants, wherein the yttrium oxide comprises between about 3.25 mol % and about 4.75 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant, and wherein the one or more pentavalent dopants comprise between about 1.5 mol % and about 6.5 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant; and

firing a compact derived from the slurry to obtain a fired ceramic piece comprising zirconium dioxide in a concentration of between about 21% and about 24% by weight of the fired ceramic piece.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a combined concentration of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in an amount of no more than about 25% of the fired ceramic piece by volume.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a combined concentration of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in an amount of no more than about 16% of the fired ceramic piece by volume.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fired ceramic piece further comprises aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide, strontium oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium oxide.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fired ceramic piece further comprises cerium oxide.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the molar concentration of the trivalent dopant is at least substantially identical to the molar concentration of the one or more pentavalent dopants.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a biomedical implant, wherein the biomedical implant comprises a three-point flexural strength of at least about 1,000 MPa, and wherein the biomedical implant further comprises a fracture toughness of at least about 6.5 MPa·m 1/2 .

15. A method for manufacturing a ceramic biomedical implant, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a slurry comprising ingredients configured to yield a ceramic piece comprising at least aluminum oxide, zirconium dioxide, strontium oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium oxide;

adding a trivalent dopant to the slurry, wherein the trivalent dopant comprises yttrium oxide and/or gadolinium oxide, and wherein the trivalent dopant comprises a concentration of between about 1.5 mol % and about 6.5 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the slurry;

adding a pentavalent dopant to the slurry, wherein the pentavalent dopant comprises tantalum pentoxide and/or niobium pentoxide, wherein the pentavalent dopant comprises a concentration of between about 1.5 mol % and about 6.5 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the slurry, and wherein the molar concentration of the trivalent dopant is at least substantially identical to the molar concentration of the pentavalent dopant;

firing a compact derived from the slurry to obtain a fired ceramic piece comprising at least aluminum oxide, zirconium dioxide, yttrium oxide, strontium oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium oxide,

wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises aluminum oxide in a concentration of at least about 74% by weight,

wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises zirconium dioxide in a concentration of between about 21% and about 24% by weight,

wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises strontium oxide in a concentration of about between about 0.8% and about 1.2% by weight,

wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a combined concentration of magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium oxide in a concentration of about 0.3% by weight, and

wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a combination of aluminum oxide, strontium oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium oxide in a concentration of at least about 84% by volume.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising adding cerium oxide to the slurry.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the cerium oxide is added to the slurry in a concentration of no more than about 3.0 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the slurry.

18. A method for manufacturing a ceramic piece, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a slurry comprising, or comprising ingredients configured to yield a ceramic piece comprising, at least:

aluminum oxide;

zirconium dioxide;

one or more trivalent dopants comprising at least one of yttrium oxide and gadolinium oxide; and

one or more pentavalent dopants comprising at least one of tantalum pentoxide and niobium pentoxide, wherein the one or more trivalent dopants are within no more than about 0.5 mol % of the one or more pentavalent dopants; and

firing a compact derived from the slurry to obtain a fired ceramic piece comprising zirconium dioxide in a concentration of between about 21% and about 24% by weight of the fired ceramic piece, wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a combined concentration of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in an amount of no more than about 25% of the fired ceramic piece by volume.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a combined concentration of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in an amount of no more than about 16% of the fired ceramic piece by volume.

20. A method for manufacturing a ceramic piece, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a slurry comprising, or comprising ingredients configured to yield a ceramic piece comprising, at least:

aluminum oxide;

zirconium dioxide;

a trivalent dopant comprising gadolinium oxide; and

one or more pentavalent dopants comprising at least one of tantalum pentoxide and niobium pentoxide, wherein the trivalent dopant is within no more than about 0.5 mol % of the one or more pentavalent dopants, wherein the gadolinium oxide comprises between about 3.15 mol % and about 4.50 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant, and wherein the one or more pentavalent dopants comprise between about 1.5 mol % and about 6.5 mol % based on the total molar amounts of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in the at least a portion of the ceramic biomedical implant; and

firing a compact derived from the slurry to obtain a fired ceramic piece comprising zirconium dioxide in a concentration of between about 21% and about 24% by weight of the fired ceramic piece.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a combined concentration of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in an amount of no more than about 25% of the fired ceramic piece by volume.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the fired ceramic piece comprises a combined concentration of zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide, gadolinium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide in an amount of no more than about 16% of the fired ceramic piece by volume.