Crystallization specifics of carbonate-hydroxylapatite in the presence of strontium-containing agents

Abstract

The effect of strontium-containing compounds on the crystallization of strontium-substituted carbonate- hydroxylapatite from a human synovial fluid prototype was studied. Synthesis products were investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and differential thermal analysis. The amount of strontium in samples was determined by atomic emission analysis. For the synthesized phases, crystallite sizes were calculated by the Selyakov–Sherer formula, and the unit cell parameters were determined. The kinetically stable brushite phase was shown to transform into the more thermodynamically stable phase of strontium-containing carbonate-hydroxylapatite with increasing exposure time of precipitates under the mother solution. Some schemes were proposed for phase transformations under heat treatment.