Hydroxyapatite with Permanent Electrical Polarization: Preparation, Characterization, and Response against Inorganic Adsorbates

Permanently polarized hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles have been prepared by applying a constant DC of 500 V at 1000 °C for 1 h to the sintered mineral. This process causes important chemical changes, as the formation of OH − defects (vacancies), the disappearance of hydrogenophosphate ions at the mineral surface layer, and structural variations reflected by the increment of the crystallinity. As a consequence, the electrochemical properties and...