Surface characteristics of nanocrystalline apatites: Effect of Mg surface enrichment on morphology, surface hydration species, and cationic environments

Luca Bertinetti, Christophe Drouet, Christele Combes, Christian Rey, Anna Tampieri, Salvatore Coluccia, Gianmario Martra

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

145 Scopus citations

Abstract

The incorporation of foreign ions, such as Mg2+ , exhibiting a biological activity for bone regeneration is presently considered as a promising route for increasing the bioactivity of bone-engineering scaffolds. In this work, the morphology, structure, and surface hydration of biomimetic nanocrystalline apatites were investigated before and after surface exchange with such Mg2+ ions, by combining chemical alterations (ion exchange, H2O- D2O exchanges) and physical examinations (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high- resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM)). HRTEM data suggested that the Mg2+ /Ca2+ exchange process did not affect the morphology and surface topology of the apatite nanocrystals significantly, while a new phase, likely a hydrated calcium and/or magnesium phosphate, was formed in small amount for high Mg concentrations. Near-infrared (NIR) and medium-infrared (MIR) spectroscopies indicated that the samples enriched with Mg2+ were found to retain more water at their surface than the Mg-free sample, both at the level of H 2O coordinated to cations and adsorbed in the form of multilayers. Additionally, the H-bonding network in defective subsurface layers was also noticeably modified, indicating that the Mg2+ /Ca2+ exchange involved was not limited to the surface. This work is intended to widen the present knowledge on Mg-enriched calcium phosphate-based bioactive materials intended for bone repair applications.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)5647-5654
Number of pages8
JournalLangmuir
Volume25
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - May 19 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Surfaces and Interfaces
  • Spectroscopy
  • Electrochemistry

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