17O enriched sodium borophosphate glasses were prepared from isotopically enriched NaPO3 and H3BO3. These glasses have been studied by 17O, 11B and 31P NMR including 17O and 11B multiple quantum magic angle sample spinning (MQMAS), 11B31P heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) NMR and 11B 31P rotational echo double resonance (REDOR). For comparison, the crystalline borophosphates BPO4 and Na5B2P3O13 were included in the investigations. The latter compound shows three sharp 31P resonances at -0.2, -2 and -8 ppm and two BO4 sites that can only be resolved by MQMAS.
The 17O NMR spectra were recorded using both the static echo method at medium magnetic field (9.4 T) as well as MAS and MQMAS methods at high field (17.6 T). In total, five oxygen sites were identified in these borophosphate glasses: POP, NaOP, POB, BOB, NaOB. However, these five sites are not present simultaneously in any of the glasses. The 17O MQMAS spectra prove that POB links play a major role in borophosphate glasses. These results are confirmed by the complementary 11B MAS spectra that show the presence of asymmetric and symmetric trigonal groups BO3a and BO3s and two tetrahedral BO4 units. 11B 31P REDOR NMR is used to give independent information to assign the 11B lines to structural units present in the glasses. These REDOR measurements reveal that BOP bonds are present for each borate unit, including the BO3 groups. Particularly, a structural proposal for the two different BO4 resonances is given in terms of a different number of bonded phosphate tetrahedra. The 31P MAS spectra are usually broad and not well resolved. It is shown by 11B31P HETCOR NMR that a possible structural assignment of a 31P signal at about -20 ppm to Q2 units as in binary sodium phosphate glasses is wrong and that the phosphate tetrahedron belonging to this resonance must be connected to borate groups
Hydrogen-bearing species in the bone mineral environment were investigated using solid-state NMR spectroscopy of powdered bone, deproteinated bone, and B-type carbonated apatite. Using magic-angle spinning and cross-polarization techniques three types of structurally-bound water were observed in these materials. Two of these water types occupy vacancies within the apatitic mineral crystal in synthetic carbonated apatite and deproteinated bone and serve to stabilize these defect-containing crystals. The third water was observed at the mineral surface in unmodified bone but not in deproteinated bone, suggesting a role for this water in mediating mineral-organic matrix interactions. Direct evidence of monohydrogen phosphate in a 1H NMR spectrum of unmodified bone is presented for the first time. We obtained clear evidence for the presence of hydroxide ion in deproteinated bone by 1H MAS NMR. A 1H-31P heteronuclear correlation experiment provided unambiguous evidence for hydroxide ion in unmodified bone as well. Hydroxide ion in both unmodified and deproteinated bone mineral was found to participate in hydrogen bonding with neighboring water molecules and ions. In unmodified bone mineral hydroxide ion was found, through a 1H-31P heteronuclear correlation experiment, to be confined to a small portion of the mineral crystal, probably the internal portion.
This study proposes a new guideline for designing biodegradable apatite ceramics. Boron-containing hydroxyapatite (BHAp) particles were prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction processing method and were characterized in terms of their chemical composition, apatite lattice defects and in vitro biodegradability. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that boron-incorporation into hydroxyapatite (HAp) derived by thermo-chemical reactions between borate and calcium phosphate phases led to disordered phases (BCaP) of a CaO–P2O5–B2O3–OH system covering the crystalline HAp core. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the BCaP phase must consist mainly of a crystalline oxyboroapatite (OBAp) phase. An in vitro biodegradability test showed that BHAp degraded quicker than HAp or ß-tricalcium phosphate. The biodegradability of BHAp particles can be controlled by boron incorporation into a HAp lattice leading to the formation of a disordered OBAp phase.
The results of a structural study combining NMR and Raman spectroscopy of several melt-derived glasses in the system Na2OMgOCaOP2O5SiO2 are presented. The Raman spectra show clear changes in the SiOSi vibrational modes (related to the bridging oxygen atoms, BO) and also verify the presence of non-bridging oxygen atoms (NBO), also named terminal oxygens. The intensity of the SiONBO stretching mode depends on the cation concentration. It can be concluded from the NMR studies that the MgO-containing samples have orthophosphate units charge-compensated by Ca2+ and Mg2+. The silicate matrix also contains both types of two-valent cations and consists of Q2 and Q1 units. Similarly, the Na2O-containing samples contain isolated orthophosphate units in a silicate matrix (Q2 and Q3 units), both charge-compensated by mixed cations Ca2+ and Na+. These experimental data were compared with theoretical parameters given by the Stevels model, which is a suitable tool for understanding bioactive behavior of these glasses. Furthermore, results of the in vitro tests carried out in simulated body fluids are presented and compared with both Raman and NMR structural data.
A variation of the cross polarization (CP) experiment is discussed. The method requires two scans where the difference signal is equivalent to the I spin magnetization that is transferred to the S spins. The acquired signal is equivalent to F1 sum projection of a two-dimensional (2D) heteronuclear correlation experiment and is obtained by just two scans without the need to increment the indirect time domain t1. Any polarization transfer method and any kind of spin manipulations during the t1 incrementation period of a 2D NMR experiment can be applied. The method allows fast measurements of the CP transfer, particularly if various S spins signal overlap and is good for spectral editing of I spin signals with contact to S spins. Various examples for biomaterials are presented. Most importantly, this novel approach is ideal for detailed investigations of organicmineral interfaces in bone, here demonstrated for O-phospho-L-serine as simple model compound.
The results of a combined structural characterisation (XRD, IR, NMR, SEM, TEM) of a
phosphate containing Mg-Ca silicate and a phosphate containing Na-Ca silicate glass samples are
presented. The structural results are also compared with in vitro tests carried out in simulated body
fluids for checking bioactivity.
A solid-state NMR comparison of the mineral structure in bone from diseases joints in the horse
(2007)
In this work, subchondral cortical bone material is investigated from the joints of five horses, three of which presented with no clinical signs or radiographic signs of osteoarthritis and two of which suffered osteoarthritis joint disease, as judged by clinical and radiographic assessment and histological findings. The horse is a good model for osteoarthritis in humans, so the aim of this study is to use nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for a detailed investigation of the bone structure in bone material affected by osteoarthritis. In particular, we report on the assessment of the mineral structure of these samples as viewed by solid-state NMR.
Solid-state NMR investigations of nacre reveal the presence of an amorphous surface layer around the aragonite platelets. This surface layer contains hydrogen carbonate groups, presumably at its outer surface and water molecules slightly hindered in their mobility in a proton ratio of 1:33, i.e. about 16 water molecules per HCO3 unit. The 1H spinlattice relaxation T1 times of protons in the protein/polysaccharide matrix (about 300 ms), of the mobile water molecules (2 s) and of the hydrogen carbonate units (12 s) differ significantly, thus revealing no spatial proximity between the protein/polysaccharide matrix with the hydrogen carbonate units of the amorphous carbonate surface layer suggesting no significant interaction between protein matrix and the amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) layer. These results are discussed in the context of recent publications on novel structural aspects of nacre.