Maximising carbonate content in sodium-carbonate Co-substituted hydroxyapatites prepared by aqueous precipitation reaction

We report the synthesis of a range of sodium-carbonate co-substituted hydroxyapatite compositions with sodium and measured carbonate contents ranging from approximately 0.4–0.8 ​wt% and 4.4–14.2 ​wt%, respectively, via aqueous precipitation reaction between calcium hydroxide, phosphoric acid and either sodium carbonate or sodium hydrogen-carbonate. A subsequent heat treatment in dry CO2 at 600 ​°C allowed for a Na–CO3 co-substituted apatite...