NEW METHOD FOR SYNTHESIS OF FORSTERITE NANOMATERIALS FOR BIOIMPLANTS

Forsterite (Mg2SiO4) has good medical properties and has application as a bone implant. Nanocrystalline forsterite was synthesised by precipitation using Mg(NO3)2.6H2O, C8H20O4Si (TEOS) and sodium hydroxide as pH regulator as starting materials. The thermal behaviour of the mixture was investigated by a MOM derivatograph. DTA indicated that the initial crystallisation temperature of the forsterite was about 800 C. The powder calcined at 900 C was characterised by XRD. Forsterite was seen to be the main crystalline phase along with small amounts of periclase (MgO). Polycrystalline forsterite with uniform sized particles and spherical shape was revealed by TEM and SEM. The grain size of the forsterite powder, according to Counter Coulter-type laser granulometry, was in the range 10-42 nm.