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Nanocrystalline Apatites for Bone Reconstruction
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Abstract
Poorly crystalline apatites (PCA) are characterized by a non-stoichiometric composition, a high specific surface area and the existence of labile, non-apatitic environments detected by spectroscopic techniques. These environments have been shown to belong mainly to an hydrated layer at the surface of the crystals and determine their surface and bulk reactivity. PCA can be easily synthesized in aqueous media and the amount of labile, non-apatitic environments can be modulated by using apatites at different maturation stage. PCA can adsorb many active proteins or drugs, Growth factors (FGF-2, for example), were strongly bound and remained mostly attached to the surface. Several mineral ions which have been shown to have a biological activity such as strontium, can also be trapped at the surface or into the lattice of poorly crystalline apatites. Due to their reactivity, PCA cannot be shaped easily into materials, however, they have the ability to agglomerate irreversibly into solid body at low temperature. These low temperature ceramics show a variable amount of pores (30 to 60 %) and pore size (5 to 25 nm) in which organic components can be trapped and are released only by the dissolution of the ceramic.
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- Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000
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