Microwave-assisted hydrothermal preparation using adenosine 5′-triphosphate disodium salt as a phosphate source and characterization of zinc-doped amorphous calcium phosphate mesoporous microspheres

•A rapid surfactant-free microwave-hydrothermal method is reported.•Zinc-doped amorphous calcium phosphate mesoporous microspheres are prepared.•Adenosine 5′-triphosphate is adopted as a phosphorus source and a stabilizer.•The product has good antibacterial activity against bacteria S. aureus and E. coli.

Zinc-doped amorphous calcium phosphate (Zn/ACP) mesoporous microspheres have been prepared using CaCl2, ZnCl2 and adenosine 5′-triphosphate disodium salt (ATP) as a biocompatible organic phosphorus source by a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. Both ATP and Zn2+ are reported as the stabilizer for amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) in aqueous solution. In this study, we have found that ATP is the main factor for stabilizing ACP in aqueous solution and Zn2+ ions are doped in ACP for the antibacterial benefit. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm and pore size distribution, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetry (TG) analysis are used to characterize the as-prepared Zn/ACP mesoporous microspheres. The TG and FTIR results reveal that some residual ATP molecules are adsorbed on the surface of the Zn/ACP mesoporous microspheres. The pH-sensitive Zn2+ ion release behavior and good antibacterial activity of Zn/ACP mesosporous microspheres against bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli indicate that the as-prepared Zn/ACP mesoporous microspheres are promising for the antibacterial application in the biomedical fields.

Graphical abstractZinc-doped amorphous calcium phosphate (Zn/ACP) mesoporous microspheres have been prepared using adenosine 5′-triphosphate disodium salt (ATP) as an organic phosphorus source by a rapid microwave-assisted hydrothermal method, and the product is promising for the antibacterial application.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide