Hydroxyapatite with permanent electrical polarization: preparation, characterization, and response against inorganic adsorbates

Abstract

Permanently polarized hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles have been prepared by applying a constant DC of 500 V at 1000¿°C for 1 h to the sintered mineral. This process causes important chemical changes, as the formation of OH- defects (vacancies), the disappearance of hydrogenophosphate ions at the mineral surface layer, and structural variations reflected by the increment of the crystallinity. As a consequence, the electrochemical properties and electrical conductivity of the polarized mineral increase noticeably compared with as-prepared and sintered samples. Moreover, these increments remain practically unaltered after several months. In addition, permanent polarization favours significantly the ability of HAp to adsorb inorganic bioadsorbates in comparison with as-prepared and sintered samples. The adsorbates cause a significant increment of the electrochemical stability and electrical conductivity with respect to bare polarized HAp, which may have many implications for biomedical applications of permanently polarized HAp.