Synthesis of nano-sized hydroxyapatite powders through solution combustion route under different reaction conditions

Calcium hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 (HAp) was synthesized by combustion in the aqueous system containing calcium nitrate–diammonium hydrogen orthophosphate with urea and glycine as fuels. These ceramics are important materials for biomedical applications. Thermo-gravimetric and differential thermal analysis were employed to understand the nature of synthesis process during combustion. Effects of different process parameters namely, nature of fuel (urea and glycine), fuel to oxidizer ratio (0.6–4.0) and initial furnace temperature (300–700 °C) on the combustion behavior as well as physical properties of as-formed powders were investigated. A series of combustion reactions were carried out to optimize the reaction parameters for synthesis of nano-sized HAp powders. The combustion temperature (Tf) for the oxidant and fuels were calculated to be 896 °C and 1035 °C for the stoichiometric system of urea and glycine respectively. The stoichiometric glycine–calcium nitrate produced higher flame temperature (both calculated and measured) and powder with lower specific surface area (8.75 m2/g) compared to the stoichiometric urea–calcium nitrate system (10.50 m2/g). Fuel excess combustion in both glycine and urea produced powders with higher surface area. Nanocrystalline HAp powder could be synthesized in situ with a large span of fuel to oxidizer ratio (φ) in case of urea system (0.8 < φ < 4) and (0.6 < φ < 1.5) for the glycine system. Calcium hydroxyapatite particles having diameters ranging between 20 nm and 120 nm could be successfully synthesized through optimized process variable.