Carbonated Hydroxyapatite Derived from Snail Shells (<i>Pilla ampulacea</i>): The Influence of Sintering Temperature on Purity and Crystallography Properties

Abstract

The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of sintering temperature on purity and crystallography properties of carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHAp). The CHAp was synthesized using a coprecipitation method. The snail shells (Pillaampulacea) were processed to yield calcium oxide as the calcium source in synthesis. The CHAp powder then was sintered for 2 h in an air atmosphere at 400, 600, 800, and 1000°C. An X-Ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) are used to investigate the physicochemical properties of CHAp. XRD, FTIR, and EDS results show primary phase is carbonated hydroxyapatite. Calcium oxide as a secondary phase is detected starting from 800°C. The crystallinity and crystallite size are increased along the increasing of sintering temperature. Drastic enhancement on these properties is shown at 600–800°C. However, there is no simple relation to the sintering temperature and lattice parameters. These results show that sintering temperature has an important role in the purity and crystallography properties of the CHAp.