Variability of hydroxyapatite preparations.

Hydroxyapatite synthesized by various "standard" ways exhibits marked differences with preparation method. Specimens were prepared with two precipitation methods, a reflux method, a hydrothermal method, a high-temperature (1000 degrees C) solid-state reaction method, and by conversion of chlorapatite at 1000 degrees C. They were compared in detail by use of several techniques, the major ones being x-ray diffraction including Rietveld structure refinements, quantitative i.r. analyses, and deuteration kinetics studies. At least some of the specimens differed with respect to each of the approximately 14 properties measured. The major lattice parameter differences could be largely accounted for by structurally incorporated H2O, CO2-3, and + O2- for 2(OH)-. Deuterizability was used as an indicator of ease of diffusion along the X-ion channels, a property that may be related to dissolution kinetics. The differently prepared specimens differed in deuterizability by at least two orders of magnitude. The high-temperature preparations, which were monoclinic, deuterated little at 110 degrees C, even in 1000 h. The precipitated and reflux specimens deuterated readily. There were general indications of correlation between ease of diffusion and features providing passing sites for the diffusing species, e.g., OH- disorder, vacancies, and distortions in the walls of the X-ion channels (mostly by CO3 for PO4), and possibly OH- vacancies. Correlation of structural H2O, present in the aqueous preparations, with ease of diffusion is still ambiguous.