Ebook: Hydroxyapatite: Synthesis and Applications

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is the primary material of natural bone and teeth--and the subject of much intense research in recent years for new variants with special functional properties for biomedical engineering applications. It is a naturally occurring mineral form of calcium apatite, with the formula Ca10(PO4)6(OH). The OH- ion can be replaced by fluoride, chloride or carbonate, producing fluorapatite or chlorapatite. HA makes up bone mineral and the matrix of teeth, giving both their rigidity and durability, and has been widely used in medical/dental field as bone grafting material, bone cement material, and as an effective additive material for surface coating. This book will cover the essential physical and chemical structure of HA and offer the reader the latest research and applications, particularly with regard to functionalizing HA and using it as a matrix for biomimeticazation for bone and dental repair.