Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite Obtained by Dry Mechanical Alloying

Hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) has attracted a great deal of attention because its chemical composition is similar to that of natural bone tissues. Applications include coatings of orthopedic and dental implants, alveolar ridge augmentation, maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology, and scaffolds for bone growth and as powders in total hip and knee surgery. It promotes rapid bone growth and bonding between bony tissue and implant surfaces. Future biomaterials consisting of nano phase ceramic could be tailored to meet clinical requirements associated with either anatomical differences or patient's age. Nanocrystallized characteristics have proven to be of great biological efficacy. Mechanochemistry, which is a powerful technique to obtain any quantity of powder with controlled microstructure, is one possible means of synthesizing HA. This milling process, used to produce HA, presents the advantage that melting is not necessary and the powder obtained is nanocrystalline. The material can be compacted and transformed in solid ceramic samples or films. The milled powders were studied by x-ray diffraction, infrared, SEM and Raman scattering spectroscopy.