Effect of storing on the microstructure of Ag/Cu/HA powder

The nanosized Ag/Cu/HA powder is thermodynamically unstable and easily congregates during storing, which may make it lose the nanomaterial's properties. In this work, the performances of Ag/Cu/HA during storing were studied. The Ag/Cu/HA powders were prepared using a one-step co-precipitation method. The effects of storing on powder microstructures were investigated. The microstructures of Ag/Cu/HA powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the diffraction intensities and the sizes of the calcined Ag/Cu/HA powders are reduced during storing. Storing makes the diffraction angles of 0 0 2 and 3 0 0 peaks decreased and makes that of 2 1 1 peak increased. In addition, storing increases the crystal growth along the c-axis without the effect on the crystal morphology of powders. The stored Ag/Cu/HA powders can induce the formation of new HA crystal the same as the stored Ag/Cu/HA powders with platelet morphology and low intensity and crystallinity similar to nature bone.