The role of the counter-ions present in syntheses on the thermal stabilization of strontium and/or calcium apatites

• Counter-ions present in syntheses can affect thermal stabilization of apatites.
• Ions with different charges and sizes can stabilize the apatite structure.
• Co-substitution is an important way to design biomimetic hydroxyapatites.

The goal of this work was to study the thermal stabilization of calcium apatites in which the Ca2+ ions were substituted for Sr2+ in increasing concentrations via ionic co-substitutions. Two distinct standard syntheses were proposed for comparative purposes: one using counter-ions that were not easily incorporated into the apatite structure (NH4+/NO3−) and one using counter-ions that can be easily incorporated into the structure (Na+/Cl−). After calcination, only the apatites synthesized in the presence of NH4+/NO3− presented phase transformation. In contrast, the apatites synthesized in the presence of Na+/Cl− formed a solid solution after calcination, with Na+, Ca2+, Sr2+ and Cl− sharing the same apatite lattice. Wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (WDXRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) techniques showed that the counter-ions present during the syntheses that are associated with CO32− play an important role in the thermal stabilization of the apatites.