Synthesis of Zinc Doped-Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Nanopowder via Sol-Gel Method

Biphasic calcium phosphate powders doped with zinc (Zn-doped BCP) were synthesized via sol-gel technique. Different concentrations of Zn have been successfully incorporated into biphasic calcium (BCP) phases namely: 1%, 2%, 3%, 5%, 7%, 10% and 15%. The synthesized powders were calcined at temperatures of 700-900 degrees C. The calcined Zn-doped BCP powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential and thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTA) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the phases present in Zn-doped are hydroxyapatite, beta- TCP and parascholzite. Moreover, FTIR analysis of the synthesized powders depicted that the bands of HPO4 increased meanwhile O-H decreased with an increase in the calcination temperature. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results showed the agglomeration of particles into microscale aggregates with size of the agglomerates tending to increase with an increase in the dopant concentration.