Novel microwave synthesis of amorphous calcium phosphate nanospheres

Abstract

Amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) is an important precursor phase in tissue mineralization. It shows high solubility and excellent remineralization ability. Commercially viable techniques for producing ACP are high-cost/low-efficiency process. This article describes a novel microwave (MW)-assisted ACP synthesis route as an alternative to current ACP synthesis methods. An important feature of the process is the use of supersaturated biomimetic fluids (SBFs), which are based on Kokubo-like simulated body fluids. However, our present compositions are substantially different in that they no longer simulate the body fluid compositions. The effects of solution composition and processing parameters were studied. The mechanism of ACP synthesis under MW irradiation process is also discussed. The as-synthesized ACP nanospheres were characterized and showed good reactivity and biocompatibility. These as-synthesized nanoparticles can be potential candidates for biomedical applications and remineralization mechanism study.