HYDROXYAPATITE SHEET PREPARED FROM ALPHA-TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE BY HYDROTHERMAL METHOD

抄録

Hydroxyapatite (Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂: HA) is widely used as bioceramics. In general, sintering process is indispensable to give shape to the ceramics. However, it is impossible to control the crystal face of materials surface. Using hydrothermal reactions for HA preparation, it is possible to control the crystal face and the chemical composition. The authors reported various kinds of HA materials prepared by the unique hydrothermal methods.
In the present investigation, porous HA sheet with tailored crystal surface were prepared by the hydrothermal method. The HA sheet prepared at 120 °C under the saturated vapor pressure of water for 3h was composed of rod-shaped HA crystals. These crystals were about 30 μm in length with aspect ratio of about 10 and they had non-stoichiometric HA composition of Ca/P molar ratio less than 1.67. This material must be suitable as scaffold for cultured bone, for bone graft material and for drug delivery system (DDS).