Hierarchically nanostructured hydroxyapatite: hydrothermal synthesis, morphology control, growth mechanism, and biological activity

Abstract

Hierarchically nanosized hydroxyapatite (HA) with flower-like structure assembled from nanosheets consisting of nanorod building blocks was successfully synthesized by using CaCl₂, NaH₂PO₄, and potassium sodium tartrate via a hydrothermal method at 200°C for 24 hours. The effects of heating time and heating temperature on the products were investigated. As a chelating ligand and template molecule, the potassium sodium tartrate plays a key role in the formation of hierarchically nanostructured HA. On the basis of experimental results, a possible mechanism based on soft-template and self-assembly was proposed for the formation and growth of the hierarchically nanostructured HA. Cytotoxicity experiments indicated that the hierarchically nanostructured HA had good biocompatibility. It was shown by in-vitro experiments that mesenchymal stem cells could attach to the hierarchically nanostructured HA after being cultured for 48 hours.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to develop facile and effective methods for the synthesis of novel hydroxyapatite (HA) with hierarchical nanostructures assembled from independent and discrete nanobuilding blocks.

Methods

A simple hydrothermal approach was applied to synthesize HA by using CaCl₂, NaH₂PO₄, and potassium sodium tartrate at 200°C for 24 hours. The cell cytotoxicity of the hierarchically nanostructured HA was tested by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay.

Results

HA displayed the flower-like structure assembled from nanosheets consisting of nanorod building blocks. The potassium sodium tartrate was used as a chelating ligand, inducing the formation and self-assembly of HA nanorods. The heating time and heating temperature influenced the aggregation and morphology of HA. The cell viability did not decrease with the increasing concentration of hierarchically nanostructured HA added.

Conclusion

A novel, simple and reliable hydrothermal route had been developed for the synthesis of hierarchically nanosized HA with flower-like structure assembled from nanosheets consisting of nanorod building blocks. The HA with the hierarchical nanostructure was formed via a soft-template assisted self-assembly mechanism. The hierarchically nanostructured HA has a good biocompatibility and essentially no in-vitro cytotoxicity.

Keywords:

• hierarchical
• biocompatibility
• nanorods
• nanosheets

Acknowledgments

Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31070511), Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (20100014120010), China Postdoctoral Science Special Foundation (201003059), and the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University is gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure

The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.