Lanthanum-silicon-substituted hydroxyapatite: Mechanochemical synthesis and prospects for medical applications

The paper presents the results of mechanochemical synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HAP) with simultaneous substitutions of lanthanum (La3+) for calcium ions and silicate ((SiO4)4−-group) for the phosphate group with the substituent concentrations in the range 0.2–2.0 mol per HAP mol. The use of Si-substituted HAP as a coating material promotes accelerated osteosynthesis and osteointegration of implants into the bone tissue. The replacement of calcium ions by La3+ in the HAP structure plays an antimicrobial role preventing inflammatory processes. Annealing-induced variations in the lattice parameters of synthesized samples indicate the substituent incorporation into the HAP structure. It is known that complex compounds with lanthanides are used for cancer chemotherapy. In particular, La plays a key role in the course of treatment of injured defects of bone tissue. In addition, La-substituted HAP can be used for filling bone defects and coating implants in postoperational areas affected by bone cancer.