Fabrication of low crystalline B-type carbonate apatite block from low crystalline calcite block

Low crystalline B-type carbonate apatite (CO(3)Ap) block was fabricated by compositional transformation based on dissolution-precipitation reaction using microporous low crystalline calcite block as a precursor. In other words, microporous low crystalline calcite block prepared by carbonation of Ca(OH)(2) compact was phosphoridated by exposing to 1 mol.dm(-3) Na2HPO4 solutions at 60 degrees C for 14 days. XRD, FT-IR and SEM analysis showed that calcite block completely transformed into B-type CO3Ap keeping its macroscopic morphology. Diametral tensile strength of the low-crystalline B-type CO3Ap block was approximately 5.4 MPa, and this value was much higher when compared with the low-crystalline calcite block, 0.73 MPa. Low crystalline B-type CO3Ap block fabricated in this method could be an ideal bone replacement due to its close similarity in its inorganic chemical composition and crystallinity to bone. (C) 2010 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.