Gradual Replacement of Ca<sup>2+</sup> with Mg<sup>2+</sup> Ions in Brushite for the Production of Ca<sub>1−x</sub>Mg<sub>x</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub>·nH<sub>2</sub>O Materials

oleh: Mazen Alshaaer, Khalil Issa, Abdulaziz Alanazi, Saida Abu Mallouh, Ahmed S. Afify, Moustapha E. Moustapha, Kostas Komnitsas

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-03-01

Deskripsi

The present study investigates the gradual replacement of Ca<sup>2+</sup> with Mg<sup>2+</sup> ions in brushite (CaHPO<sub>4</sub>·2H<sub>2</sub>O). To date, this approach has not been systematically explored and may prove beneficial for the production of Ca<sub>1−x</sub>Mg<sub>x</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub>·nH<sub>2</sub>O materials with tailored properties which are suitable for environmental and medical applications. For their production, solutions of sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate dehydrate, NaH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>·2H<sub>2</sub>O, calcium nitrate tetrahydrate, Ca(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>·4H<sub>2</sub>O, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, Mg(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>·6H<sub>2</sub>O and ammonium hydroxide solution, NH<sub>4</sub>OH, were used. At low Mg/Ca molar ratios (up to 0.25) in the starting solution, partial replacement of Ca with Mg takes place (Mg doping) but no struvite is produced as discrete phase. When the Mg/Ca molar ratio increases gradually to 1.5, in addition to Mg-doped brushite, struvite, NH<sub>4</sub>MgPO<sub>4</sub>·6H<sub>2</sub>O, precipitates. The microstructure of the materials produced for different degrees of Ca replacement with Mg has been analyzed in depth with the use of powdered XRD (X-ray diffraction), XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The results of this study prove that the Mg/Ca ratio in the starting solution can be monitored in such a way that materials with tailored composition are obtained.