NANOMETRE-SIZED AG/HYDROXYAPATITE MATERIALS: FABRICATION AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

Nanoscale hydroxyapatite is a promising candidate in the field of bone tissue engineering, due to its similar composition to the inorganic constituents found in natural bone. In fine powder form, nano-sized HAp is a calcium phosphate form that the body absorbed easily because the Ca/P ratio in the HAp molecule and in bones and teeth is similar. Metallic silver nano is a material that has antibacterial, antiviral, and fungal effects... The combination of nano HAp with nano-Ag exhibits superior antibacterial properties and is a suitable biomaterial for bacterial bone infection treatment such as osteomyelitis. In this study, we have successfully fabricated Ag/hydroxyapatite (Ag/HAp) nanomaterials with a two-step process. The physicochemical properties of Ag/HAp nanopowder were analyzed by such methods as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and visible ultraviolet spectroscopy... The analysis results show that the Ag/HAp nanopowder has a granular shape, the average size is about 75 nm, and the powder has a hollow porous structure with fairly uniformly distributed pores, which is similar to the spongy structure of natural bone.