Thermal and ultrasonic influence in the formation of nanometer scale hydroxyapatite bio-ceramic

• Published in: International journal of nanomedicine Vol. 6; no. default; pp. 2083 - 2095
• Main Authors: Poinern, G J E, Brundavanam, R, Le, X Thi, Djordjevic, S, Prokic, M, Fawcett, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Press 01.01.2011; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Ceramics - chemistry; Chemical Phenomena - radiation effects; chemical synthesis; Durapatite - chemistry; Hot Temperature; microwave irradiation; Microwaves; nano-hydroxyapatite; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Original Research; Particle Size; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; ultrasonic irradiation; Ultrasonics; X-Ray Diffraction; chemical synthesis; nano-hydroxyapatite; microwave irradiation; ultrasonic irradiation
• ISSN: 1178-2013; 1176-9114; 1178-2013
• DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s24790

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is a widely used biocompatible ceramic in many biomedical applications and devices. Currently nanometer-scale forms of HAP are being intensely investigated due to their close similarity to the inorganic mineral component of the natural bone matrix. In this study nano-HAP was prepared via a wet precipitation method using Ca(NO(3))(2) and KH(2)PO(4) as the main reactants and NH(4)OH as the precipitator under ultrasonic irradiation. The Ca/P ratio was set at 1.67 and the pH was maintained at 9 during the synthesis process. The influence of the thermal treatment was investigated by using two thermal treatment processes to produce ultrafine nano-HAP powders. In the first heat treatment, a conventional radiant tube furnace was used to produce nano-particles with an average size of approximately 30 nm in diameter, while the second thermal treatment used a microwave-based technique to produce particles with an average diameter of 36 nm. The crystalline structure and morphology of all nanoparticle powders produced were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Both thermal techniques effectively produced ultrafine powders with similar crystalline structure, morphology and particle sizes.