Electrovector effect on bone-like apatite crystal growth on Inside pores of polarized porous hydroxyapatite ceramics in simulated body fluid

Abstract

Porous hydroxyapatite (HA) disks and blocks with interconnecting pores (pore size≅150 μm, interconnecting window size≅30 μm, and porosity≅75%) were polarized and bone-like apatite formations on the pore surfaces were investigated by immersion test using simulated body fluid (SBF) to estimate the electrovector effect in porous bodies. Thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) measurements were used to estimate the stored charges of polarized porous HA disks and blocks as 11 and 7 μC cm-2, respectively, demonstrating that both the porous disks and blocks were successfully polarized. After immersion in SBF for 14 d, bone-like apatite formations within the pores were observed in the polarized and non-polarized HA disks and blocks. Based on scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of the pores located around the center of the disks and the blocks (inside-pores), formation of bone-like apatite was accelerated in the polarized HA compared with that in the non-polarized HA. Although the weight of the polarized and non-polarized porous HA increased linearly with immersion time regardless of shape, the rate of weight change of the polarized HA was greater than that of the non-polarized HA. It was demonstrated that the electric charges on the inside-pore surface of porous HA have a positive effect on the formation of bone-like apatite crystals.