William Bonfield

Preparation and characterization of fluoride-substituted apatites.

Apatites were prepared with three different fluoride concentrations: 0.0 mM (pure hydroxyapatite) 2.5 mM and 5 mM. Reactions were performed in aqueous medium using a reaction between diammonium orthophosphate and calcium nitrate 4-hydrate and ammonium fluoride at temperatures of 3°, 25°, 60° and 90°C. The effects of reaction temperature and fluoride concentration on the crystal morphology, phase purity and crystallinity of the precipitates were observed, using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and ion chromatography. Transmission electron micrographs revealed that the crystallites precipitated at 3°C were spheroidal, but became increasingly acicular with increasing precipitation temperature. X-ray diffraction results indicated that all the materials produced were phase pure and that the crystallinity of apatites prepared at higher precipitation temperatures was higher than those prepared at lower precipitation temperatures. A significant difference in the a-axis dimension of fluoride-substituted apatites was observed, as compared to hydroxyapatite. FTIR spectroscopy revealed a hydroxyl band at 3568 cm-1, along with a broad peak of adsorbed water in the region of 3568 cm-1 to 2670 cm-1 in the hydroxyapatite and fluoride-substituted apatite powders. Hence by careful selection of the precipitation conditions and fluoride contents, the composition and morphology of fluoride-substituted apatite may be controlled and this has interesting implications for the development of these materials for biomedical implantation.

Histomorphological and biomechanical characterization of calcium phosphates in the osseous environment

Abstract The standardization of characterization techniques is becoming increasingly important for bone replacement materials as it becomes apparent that, for the field to advance, testing must be developed to allow the biocompatibility or bioactivity of a new material to be assessed and directly compared with existing materials. Currently there are many forms of biocompatibility test for materials destined for the osseous environment, ranging from immersion in simulated body fluid to implantation into living bone. However, the variety of ways in which the data from these tests may be acquired and interpreted, as a result of changes in parameters such as surgical technique and mechanical test conditions, means that much of the published data within the field is not comparable. This paper will introduce the concept of biocompatibility by considering calcium phosphate bioceramics, and discusses some aspects of in vivo experimental design, including simple histomorphometry techniques, in addition to considering practical methods for the assessment of the biomechanical characteristics of an osseointegrated implant.

ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC PROCESSING OF CALCIUM PHOSPHATES: COATING AND PATTERNING FOR MEDICAL IMPLANTS

Hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated metallic prostheses, which combine the osteoconductivity of HA and high strength of metallic alloys, have been increasingly the choice of joint replacement prostheses by surgeons as the general population lives longer. Surface modification of metallic implant surfaces is one of the key focal points to implantation technology. In addition to material chemistry, surface topography has been found to positively impact cellular response and is able to enhance the life time of the implant. Recently, a new technique, template-assisted electrohydrodynamic atomization (TAEA) spraying, developed using the principles of electrohydrodynamic atomization spraying, which is an electrically driven jet-based deposition method, is of considerable interest in surface topography formation. The process offers the attractive advantages of compatibility with micro-fabrication technology and versatility in pattern specification for advanced implant designs. This technology incorporates nanosized calcium phosphate to mimic the size and chemical composition of bone mineral in a micrometer-dimension pattern configuration to guide cellular responses. In vitro studies showed that both pillar and track nano Silicon-substituted HA (SiHA) patterns were able to encourage the attachment and growth of osteoblast cells, the track patterns provided the favourite surface for the initial cell attachment while a fast cell proliferation rate was found on the pillar pattern from day 1 to day 5 in comparison with that of a SiHA-coated surface. The alignment of actin cytoskeleton of osteoblast cells matched the orientation of the entire cell. The shear peel strength of the patterned interlocking nano-HA coating was found to be at least an order of magnitude higher than the conventional HA coating. Therefore, TAEA offers great potential for producing new coatings with a tailored surface topography, on both the micro- and nano-scale in a more cost effective way to enhance the performance of medical implants.