Preparation of high strength macroporous hydroxyapatite scaffold

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) powder was prepared from CaNO3·4H2O and (NH4)2HPO4 by wet-chemical method and has phase stable up to 1250 °C. High strength macroporous HAp–naphthalene (HN) and HAp–naphthalene–benzene (HNB) scaffolds were fabricated by adapting sintering method. The resulting HAp scaffolds have porosity about 60 vol.% with compressive strength of ~ 11 MPa and average pore diameter in the range of ~ 125 μm. The incorporation of benzene in HN scaffold reduces the strength whereas enhanced both the porosity and pore size distribution. XRD, FTIR, SEM and mercury porosimeter techniques were used to study the phase purity, morphology, pore size and pore size distribution of scaffold. The study compared the effect of concentration of naphthalene on strength, porosity and pore size distribution on both HN and HNB scaffold. In-vitro bioactivity studies on HN and HNB scaffolds show the nucleation of spherical carbonated apatite particles on the surface in SBF solution.

► High strength macroporous HAp scaffold was fabricated using naphthalene. ► HAp scaffold have 60 vol.% porosity, pore diameter ~ 125 μm and strength ~ 11 MPa. ► Uniform distribution of pores was achieved by using benzene in naphthalene. ► Spherical carbonated apatite results during the in-vitro test.