pH impact on the sol-gel preparation of calcium hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, using a novel complexing agent, DCTA

Aqueous sol-gel chemistry routes — based on ammonium hydrogen phosphate as the phosphorus precursor, calcium acetate monohydrate as the source of calcium ions, and 1,2-diaminocyclohexanetetraacetic acid monohydrate (DCTA) as the complexing agent — have been used to prepare calcium hydroxyapatite (HA). The sol-gel process was performed in aqueous solution at different pH values followed by calcination of the dry precursor gels for 5 h at 1000°C. Phase transformations, composition, and structural changes in the polycrystalline samples were studied by thermoanalytical methods (TG/DTA), infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that pH adjustment has significant impact on the apatite formation process and on the morphology and phase purity of the ceramic samples.