Conversion from biowaste Venerupis clam shells to hydroxyapatite nanowires

• Hydroxyapatite nanowires were synthesized from biowaste clam shells.
• Morphology evolved from nanorods to nanowires at different hydrothermal times.
• Nanowires exhibited a diameter range from 40 to 130 nm.
• Fast Fourier transform analysis showed the wire growth direction along (300).

The present study demonstrates a novel approach by which biowaste clam shells derived from Venerupis species can be processed into high aspect ratio one dimensional wires being an interesting candidate to biomedical applications. These nanowires were synthesized hydrothermally and exhibited an aspect ratio in the order of 102 with a surface area of 40 m2 g−1 and narrowly distributed diameter size range from 40 to 130 nm. Fast Fourier transform analysis during high resolution transmission electron microscopy showed the wires exhibiting growth along (300). X-ray diffractometry and Fourier-transform Infra-red spectroscopy showed that the nanowires produced were of high purity.