Synthesis and characterization of carbon nanotube reinforced hydroxyapatite ceramics proposed for biomedical applications

Abstract

The present work reveals a convenient method for synthesis of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Hydroxyapatite (CNT-HAp) based biomaterial. HAp was synthesized through co-precipitation method from Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)and Phosphoric acid (H3 PO4) as the precursor materials. CNTs were incorporated into HAp ceramics with the help of ball milling technique. The structural and functional properties of CNT-HAp composites were thoroughly studied with the help of different characterizations such as FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, XPS, SEM and EDX. Crystallite size of CNT-HAp composites was calculated to be 25.22 nm. Morphology of CNT-HAp composites consists of hair-like CNT molecules adjoined on HAP grains. Presence of CNTs leads to augmentation in the crystallinity of HAp ceramics. All the studies indicated towards the improvement in functional behavior of HAp on mixing with CNTs which makes CNT-HAp ceramics an important material that can be used in bio-medical applications.