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Characterization of Hydroxyapatite by Electron Microscopy

2005; Oxford University Press; Volume: 11; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1017/s1431927605050646

1435-8115

Ventura Rodríguez-Lugo, J. Sánchez Hernández, Ma. J. Arellano-Jimenez, P. H. Hernández-Tejeda, S. Recillas-Gispert,

Bone health and osteoporosis research

The obtention of hydroxyapatite (HAp) is reported using brushite (CaHPO 4 ·2H 2 O) and the skeleton of a starfish (Mellita eduardobarrosoi sp. nov.), primarily composed of magnesian calcite ((Ca,Mg)CO 3 ) as precursors. Stoichiometric amounts of both were reacted under hydrothermal conditions: a pressure of 5.8 MPa and a temperature of 200°C for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 20 h of reaction times. The samples obtained were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Two defined populations of HAp fibers were found: A bundle of fibers 75 μm in length and 1–13 μm in diameter, and a second bundle of fibers 5 μm in length and less than 0.5 μm in diameter. Furthermore, an increase in HAp formation and a Ca/P ratio as a function of reaction time were observed. The growth mechanism of HAp is also discussed.