The thermal stability of hydroxyapatite in biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics

Biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics (BCP) comprising a mix of non-resorbable hydroxyapatite (HA) and resorbable beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) are particularly suitable materials for synthetic bone substitute applications. In this study, HA synthesised by solid state reaction was mechanically mixed with beta-TCP, then sintered to form a suite of BCP materials with a wide range of HA/beta-TCP phase content ratios. The influence of sintering temperature and composition on the HA thermal stability was quantified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The pre-sinter beta-TCP content was found to strongly affect the post-sinter HA/beta-TCP ratio by promoting the thermal decomposition of HA to beta-TCP, even at sintering temperatures as low as 850 degrees C. For BCP material with pre-sinter HA/beta-TCP = 40/60 wt%, approximately 80% of the HA decomposed to beta-TCP during sintering at 1000 degrees C. Furthermore, the HA content appeared to influence the reverse transformation of alpha-TCP to beta-TCP expected upon gradual cooling from sintering temperatures greater than 1125 degrees C. Because the HA/beta-TCP ratio dominantly determines the rate and extent of BCP resorption in vivo, the possible thermal decomposition of HA during BCP synthesis must be considered, particularly if high temperature treatments are involved.