Hydroxyapatite nanocrystal coating on biodegradable microspheres

Nano-sized single crystals of calcined hydroxyapatite (HAp) were uniformly coated on poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) microspheres through the ionic interaction between calcium ions on the HAp nanocrystal and carboxyl groups on the PLLA microsphere. In order to coat the substrate with HAp nanocrystals through ionic interaction, the surfaces of the PLLA microspheres were hydrolyzed in an alkaline aqueous solution at pH 11.0 for 1 h at room temperature. The interaction between the HAp nanocrystals and the carboxyl groups originating from PLLA end groups was estimated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The alkali-treated PLLA microspheres were coated with HAp nanocrystals by immersing the microspheres in an ethanol dispersion of HAp nanocrystals followed by washing in an ultrasonic bath.