Preparation of aluminum oxide-hybridized hydroxyapatite powder by the sol-gel method

Hydroxyapatite powders (HAp; Ca-10(PO4)(6)(OH)(2)) hybridized with 0-5 mass% Al2O3 were prepared from calcium hydroxide and di-ammonium hydrogenphosphate by a wet chemical synthesis. Ethylacetoacetate Aluminum Diisopropoxide (Al(OC3H7)(2) (C6H9O3)) was used as a source for aluminum oxide. The obtained powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area measurement, and magic angle spinning-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MAS-NMR). The X-ray diffraction patterns showed no Al2O3-peaks irrespective of Al2O3 content, suggesting that the Al2O3-hybridized HAp powders were single phase. The Al2O3-hybridized HAp powder had larger specific surface area. According to MAS-NMR analysis, it was considered that the aluminum element existed as aluminum oxide, it was not substituted for the Ca2+, PO43-, or OH- ions.