Bioactive composites, where the deleterious reactions between hydroxyapatite and the composite matrix (in this case zirconia) are kinetically inhibited by employing a super‐fast consolidation technique, spark plasma sintering (SPS), are reported. The composite materials (see Figure) are shown to be 5–7 times stronger and 4–7 times tougher than monolithic hydroxyapatite ceramics.

This communication reports on the preparation and electricproperties of dense nanocrystalline ZnO ceramics. By spark plasma sintering, nanocrystalline (ϳ100 nm) ZnO ceramics with a high density of 98.5% were obtained at a very low temperature of 550°C. Electric property measurement revealed a novel conduction nonlinearity in the sample sintered at 500°C. This phenomenon is due to the nanometerization of ZnO crystal and the grain boundary layer with an amorphous interfacial layer. L. M. Levinson-contributing editor Manuscript No. 187334.

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