Hollow hydroxyapatite spheres fabrication with three-dimensional hydrogel template†
Abstract
Hydroxyapatite [HAp, Ca10 (PO4)6 (OH)2] crystals were successfully prepared by the electrophoresis approach and an ion diffusion method using a template of polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogel. Flower-like porous hollow HAp spheres were both obtained in the PAAm hydrogel by the two methods. The diameters of the HAp spheres could be controlled in the range of 500 nm to 28 μm. The formation of flower-like porous hollow HAp crystals is believed to be the combined result of the three-dimensional hydrogel template and electrostatic interaction.