Strontium and silicate co-substituted hydroxyapatite: Mechanochemical synthesis and structural characterization

Abstract

Synthetic hydroxyapatite is a bioceramic material promising for medical applications. The introduction of substituents into the crystal structure of hydroxyapatite allows tailoring its properties and obtaining materials with improved implantation characteristics. In the present work, it was shown for the first time that silicate and strontium co-substituted hydroxyapatite can be synthesized via the “soft” mechanochemical method. The synthesis was carried out by subjecting the reaction mixture to ball milling in the absence of any organic surfactant or solvent. The product of the mechanochemical synthesis was a single-phase material with a nanocrystalline structure. The crystal structure of co-substituted hydroxyapatite Ca9.5Sr0.5(PO4)5.5(SiO4)0.5(OH)1.5 was analyzed for the first time. The synthesized co-substituted hydroxyapatite does not require any further processing or treatment and can be used as a biomaterial in the as-synthesized state.