Thermal stability of β-tricalcium phosphate doped with monovalent metal ions

The effect of doping β-tricalcium phosphate with monovalent metal ions (lithium, sodium, and potassium ions) on its thermal stability was evaluated using the formation ratio of α-tricalcium phosphate and the rate constant for β–α transformation. The thermal stability of β-tricalcium phosphate doped with monovalent metal ions was higher than that of pure β-tricalcium phosphate, and increased with the amount of metal ions. The increase in stability was attributed to the occupation of all calcium sites including vacancy in β-tricalcium phosphate structure by the calcium ions and monovalent metal ions and the resultant crystal stabilization. However, the thermal stability of β-tricalcium phosphate doped with monovalent metal ions was lower than that of β-tricalcium phosphate doped with magnesium ions. These results indicate that the thermal stability of β-tricalcium phosphate is influenced by the difference in the structural stabilization caused by doping metal ions into different calcium sites in the crystal structure.