Effect of L-Glutamic Acid on the Composition and Morphology of Nanostructured Calcium Phosphate as Biomaterial

Abstract

Calcium phosphate (CaP) with several chemical compositions and morphologies was prepared by precipitation using aqueous solutions of L-Glutamic acid (H2G) and calcium hydroxide, both mixed together with an aqueous solution (0.15 M) of phosphoric acid. Plate-shaped dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (brushite) particles were obtained and identified at a lower concentration of the solution of the reactants. The Ca/P ratio deduced by EDS was ~1, as expected. The nanoscale dimension of carbonate apatite and amorphous calcium phosphate, with variable Ca/P ratios, were revealed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (SEM-EDS). They were characterized in medium and high concentrations of calcium hydroxide (0.15 M and 0.20 M). The equilibria involved in all the reactions in aqueous solution were determined. The thermodynamic calculations showed a decrease in the amount of chelate complexes with an increase in pH, being the opposite of [CaPO4−] and [CaHG+]. This fluctuation showed an evident influence on the morphology and polymorphism of CaP particles obtained under the present experimental conditions, with potential use as a biomaterial.