Surface reactions of calcium phosphate ceramics to various solutions

The surface reactions of calcium phosphate ceramics have been thought to play an important role in bonding with living bone. Hydroxyapatite (HA), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), and two kinds of apatite-containing glass ceramics were immersed in three types of solutions with different chemical constituents. The first solution was a physiological saline, the second contained phosphate (PO4), and the third was a balanced salt solution consisting of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and PO4. After serial incubation periods, changes in the solutions were assessed by measurement of total Ca, Mg, and PO4. The ceramic surfaces were studied using scanning electron spectroscopy, infrared reflection spectroscopy, and thin-film x-ray diffraction. The surface reactions of the ceramics were greatly affected by the chemical compositions of the surrounding media. In the complete solution with both Ca and PO4, a carbonated apatite layer was formed on the surfaces of HA, TCP, and the glass ceramics. In comparison to HA and TCP, the glass ceramics were characterized as Ca-releasing materials, the dissolved Ca creating an apatite layer on the surfaces in a few days, in conjunction with PO4 stock in the surrounding media. The immersion test with various solutions proved to be a simple and effective method of assessing surface conditions of ceramic materials.