SOL-GEL DERIVED FORSTERITE-FLUORAPATITE COMPOSITE NANOPOWDER FOR BOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

Studies indicate that the properties of hydroxyapatite (HA), such as bioactivity, biocompatibility, mechanical properties and solubility could be tailored over a wide range by modifying the composition via ionic substitutions or fabrication of composites. Results showed that forsterite nanostructure get better mechanical properties than hydroxyapatite. So, a composite of forsterite and fluorapatite could have interesting properties which make it useful in dental and orthopedics applications. So, the aim of this study was to prepare and characterize the fluorapatitefforsterite nanocomposite powder for treatment of oral bone defects. In this study, fluorapatitefforsterite nanocomposite powders with different contents of forsterite nanopowder were made via sol-gel process. X-Ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopic and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques were used in order to characterize the composite structures. The crystallite sizes of two ceramic phases were investigated by using the Scherer s equation. Results showed that fluorapatite 10-30wt% forsterite nanopowders were fabricated by calcination of the gel at 600 °C. The crystallite size of both offluorapatite and forsterite were reported about 21-24 nm. In addition, FTIR spectra showed the presence of bonding between functional groups of two ceramic which needed in the formation of composites. According to these results and our background about these two bioceramics, these nanocomposite powders might be suitable as bioactive material for oral bone defect.

Keywords:

nanocomposite , forsterite , fluorapatite