Preparation of hydroxyapatite rod-like crystals by protein precursor method

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) rod-like crystals were successfully prepared by thermolysis of bovine serum albumin (BSA)/calcium-phosphate (CaP) colloidal precursors. The precursors were obtained by precipitation method from Ca(H2PO4)2 and Ca(OH)2, in which BSA was added as regulation additive and ultrasound irradiation was utilized as assistant technology. The properties of the precursors, such as size distribution, morphology, thermodynamic changes, were determined by DLS, SPM and TGA–DTA. The characterization results from DLS, SPM, TG–DTA, XRD and SEM indicated that BSA interacted with CaP particles and formed about 7–130 nm BSA/CaP hybrid colloidal particles between 2 and 4 g/L of BSA concentration. With the increasing of sintering temperature, BSA disintegrated and burned out, and rod-like HAP crystals formed at about 600 °C. With the increasing of BSA concentration, the phase composition of products did not change and the HAP crystals became more uniform and smaller. The ratio of length to width ranged from 7.6 to 12 at 4 g/L BSA concentration. This method provides for a controllable bottom-up fabrication of HAP rod-like crystals.