The need for biomaterials in dental and orthopedic applications has increased as the world population ages. Synthetic calcium phosphate bioceramics and calcium phosphate cements are proved potential substitutes for bone and teeth due to their structural and crystallographic similarities with the biological apatites, and their biocompatibility but they show poor mechanical properties. Chlorapatite and hydroxyapatite whiskers with high aspect ratio can be used to improve this drawback. This work describes a method to transform chlorapatite single crystals into hydroxyapatite whiskers, suitable for the reinforcement of calcium phosphate bioceramics and calcium phosphate cements. Hydroxyapatite whiskers were obtained by treating chlorapatite single crystals in high-temperature hydrothermal conditions. The variable studied was furnace temperature with and without moisture conditions. The characterization of the chlorapatite and hydroxyapatite whiskers was carried out by SEM, XRD, EDS and FTIR. SXRD data were analyzed for the description of the chlorapatite structure.
We have synthesized large chlorapatite [ClAp, Ca(5)(PO(4))(3)Cl(x)(OH)(1-x), where x = 1] single crystals using the molten salt method. We have corroborated that the hexagonal symmetry P6(3)/m describes the crystal structure best, even though the crystals are synthetic and stoichiometric. Moreover, we have performed several thermal treatments on these ClAp crystals, generating new single crystals in the apatite system [Ca(5)(PO(4))(3)Cl(x)(OH)(1-x), where x ≤ 1], where the chloride anions (Cl(-)) were systematically substituted by hydroxyl anions (OH(-)). These new single crystals were methodically characterized by powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform-IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). We have discovered a previously unreported OH(-) inclusion site substituting the Cl(-) anion during the ion-exchanging process. Finally, we evaluated the atomic rearrangements of the other species involved in the structure. These movements are associated with ionic exchange, which can be justified from an energetic point of view. We also found a novel phase transformation at high temperature. When the crystals are heated over 1753 K the apatite system evolves to a less ordered monoclinic structure, in which the complete loss of the species in the anionic channel (Cl(-), OH(-)) has been confirmed.
The X-ray crystal structure of the gelator 1,3:2,4-dibenzylidene-D-sorbitol (DBS) is reported here. DBS is an important gelating molecule known for nearly 130 years, that has eluded crystallization until now. The crystal obtained presents an axial stacking of DBS molecules stabilized by both Van der Waals interactions and intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the side chain hydroxyl groups with either neighboring DBS or water molecules. The crystal structure shows definitive evidence for the frequently assumed “butterfly” type aggregation mode and experimentally proves the equatorial placement of the phenyl rings. The conformation of DBS has been analyzed in the crystal structure and compared with that determined in solution through NMR spectroscopy.
The X-ray crystal structure of the gelator 1,3:2,4-dibenzylidene-D-sorbitol (DBS) is reported here. DBS is an important gelating molecule known for nearly 130 years, that has eluded crystallization until now. The crystal obtained presents an axial stacking of DBS molecules stabilized by both Van der Waals interactions and intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the side chain hydroxyl groups with either neighboring DBS or water molecules. The crystal structure shows definitive evidence for the frequently assumed “butterfly” type aggregation mode and experimentally proves the equatorial placement of the phenyl rings. The conformation of DBS has been analyzed in the crystal structure and compared with that determined in solution through NMR spectroscopy.
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