The Effect of Different Surface Modification Agents on the Dispersion of Nano-Hydroxyapatite (n-HA) Crystallites

The surface of synthetic calcium hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) was modified through combining freeze-drying, solvent replacement and surface modification methods in an effort to obtain the deaggregative n-HA crystallites. Three surface modification agents: Polyethylene glycol (PEG, Mw: 6000), poly(propyl oxide)-poly (ethyl oxide)-co-poly(propyl oxide)(Pluronic F-127, Mw: 12,000) and poly(d, l-lactide)-co-poly (ethylene glycol) (PELA, Mw: 20,000)were selected. The dispersion of the modified n-HA was characterized by sedimentation time in distilled water, acetone and dimethyl formamide (DMF). The results indicate that the three surface modification agents influence the dispersion of n-HA crystallites in various solvent based on different mechanisms. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation shows that the dried and acetone-replacement powders are composed of needle-like HA crystallites isolated individually. The chosen solvents have a profound effect on the sedimentation time. In distilled water, the dispersion of as-synthesized n-HA crystallites is increased greater by F127 than by PEG. After freeze-drying, the two n-HA particles show homogeneous dispersion in acetone. The colloid stability of freeze-dried HA/PEG, solution-replaced HA/F127 and solution-replaced HA/PELA in DMF were improved significantly. The suspensions remained stable after 30 days with only a blue transparent sol being observed.