Abstract
Preparation of Heparin/hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocomposites using simulated body fluids (SBFs) were investigated with respect to effect of solution pH and heparin concentrations. Various physical characterizations using FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction study revealed that heparin/HAp nanocomposites were obtained when SBF was incubated with heparin at pH 7.4. On the other hand, heparin/amorphous calcium phosphate nanocomposites were obtained by incubation at pH 8.4. These results support that heterogeneous nucleation of HAp induced by heparin occurred dominantly when incubated at pH 7.4, whereas majority of calcium phosphate deposits were produced by homogeneous nucleation at pH 8.4.
