Zinc phosphate as versatile material for potential biomedical applications Part 1.

Synthetic alpha - and beta -Hopeite, two polymorphs of zinc phosphate tetrahydrates (ZPT) have been synthesized by hydrothermal crystallization from aqueous solution at 20 degrees C and 90 degrees C respectively. Aside from their sub-title crystallographic differences originating from a unique hydrogen bonding pattern, their thermodynamic interrelation has been thoroughfully investigated by means of X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), combined with thermogravimetry (TGA-MS). Using a new heterogeneous step-reaction approach, the kinetics of dehydration of the two forms of ZPT was studied and their corresponding transition temperature determined. Low temperature DRIFT, FT-Raman and (1)H, (31)P MAS-NMR reveal an oriented distortion of the zinc phosphate tetrahedra, due to a characteristic hydrogen bonding pattern and in accordance with the molecular tetrahedral linkage scheme of the phosphate groups. Biogenic Hydroxyapatite (HAP) and one of its metastable precursors, a calcium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) or Brushite were also obtained and used to underline the resulting variations of chemical reactivity in zinc phosphates.