Hydroxyapatite formation on porous ceramics of alpha-tricalcium phosphate in a simulated body fluid.

Alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP) ceramic is a bioresorbable material that degrades in bone tissue after implantation, since it exhibits higher solubility than beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) ceramics. The high solubility of alpha-TCP in an aqueous solution causes its transformation into hydroxyapatite (HAp) through hydrolysis. While one expects the formation of hydroxyapatite after exposure to an aqueous solution mimicking a body environment, we occasionally find variation in HAp formation in the simulated body fluid (SBF). In the present study, HAp formation resulting from exposure to SBF was investigated for some types of alpha-TCP ceramics with different porosities and specific surface area. Reduced porosity and large surface area of porous specimens may increase the local density of Ca2+ in the surrounding SBF to increase the degree of supersaturation with respect to HAp. Thus, the porosity and specific surface area are significant parameters for determining not only bioabsorbability but also the ability to form HAp.