Hydrothermal–electrochemical synthesis of nano-hydroxyapatite crystals on superhydrophilic vertically aligned carbon nanotubes

• We presented a simple method to obtained globular and plate-like nano-hidroxyapatite.
• We used superhydrophilic vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube as substrate.
• We presented the thermodynamics parameters collected from the electrodeposition process.
• This process was conducted in only thirty minutes.

Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHap) is an attractive and biocompatible material due to its chemical likeness to bone and tooth. The nHAp has osteoconductivity and bioactive properties that promote regeneration and adherence to bone tissue, however, lack mechanical properties. Hence, there is an interest in associating this material with others to obtain composite with superior properties. Vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (VAMWCNT-O) have outstanding mechanical, electrical, chemical and biocompatibility properties, which may boost typical nHAp properties. We presented for the first time the correlation between nHAp crystals-like and hydrothermal–electrochemical parameters collected during the electrodeposition process on VAMWCNT-O. Also, we show dependence between the nHAp crystals and bath temperature. Based on our results, we proposed and discussed a mechanism of formation of nHAp crystals on VAMWCNT-O electrodes.

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