Effect of Ca/P ratio and milling material on the mechanochemical preparation of hydroxyapaptite.

The mechanochemical transformation of Ca(OH)(2)-(NH(4))(2)HPO(4) with different Ca/P ratios 1; 1.5; 1.67 and 1.75 was carried out for different periods of time from 10 min to 24 h in a horizontal vibration mill using steel and agate vials and balls. The phase transformations obtained at each milling stage were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Complete transformation to hydroxyapatite took place during the first 5 h of milling, for Ca/P ratios 1.5 to 1.7, when milling was carried out with steel vials and balls. The contamination was not significant for the periods of milling studied for both milling media.