Role of material processing on the thermal stability and sinterability of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite

Hydroxyapatite (HA) resembles natural bone mineral in its major composition and is widely applied for various biomedical applications in different forms. Wet chemical precipitation is an economic and simple route to synthesize HA. But the thermal stability and other related properties of synthesized HA depend on various factors. Here we demonstrate that when ultrasonication is coupled with synthesis and specimen is dried via sublimation (freeze drying) instead of the conventional hot air drying the thermal stability, densification and sinterability are improved.