- The incorporation of ions in the lattice of hydroxyapatite alters significantly its structure.
Particularly, if anions such as trigonal borate units are accommodated in the lattice severe
distortions must occur around the substitution site because of different geometric shape, electric
charge and anion size. Solid-state NMR has been used to investigate this problem in detail for a
hydroxyapatite sample synthesized by high temperature solid state reaction. The results clearly
verify the existence of network distortions. Indeed, only about 1/3 of the total phosphate content
forms crystalline hydroxyapatite (also found in XRD) whereas the residual amount is contained in
two different phosphate sites with 31P chemical shifts of 5.5 ppm and 2.3 ppm, but broad resonances
lines suggesting disorder. Furthermore, a novel proton signal at -0.6 ppm was found which is
directly associated with the borate incorporation. No specific correlation of the two structurally
different borate units with theThe incorporation of ions in the lattice of hydroxyapatite alters significantly its structure.
Particularly, if anions such as trigonal borate units are accommodated in the lattice severe
distortions must occur around the substitution site because of different geometric shape, electric
charge and anion size. Solid-state NMR has been used to investigate this problem in detail for a
hydroxyapatite sample synthesized by high temperature solid state reaction. The results clearly
verify the existence of network distortions. Indeed, only about 1/3 of the total phosphate content
forms crystalline hydroxyapatite (also found in XRD) whereas the residual amount is contained in
two different phosphate sites with 31P chemical shifts of 5.5 ppm and 2.3 ppm, but broad resonances
lines suggesting disorder. Furthermore, a novel proton signal at -0.6 ppm was found which is
directly associated with the borate incorporation. No specific correlation of the two structurally
different borate units with the two phosphate groups is found.…