Study of Carbonated Calcium Phosphate Precipitation on Collagen

Calcium phosphate biocomposites are candidate materials for bone tissue engineering due to their conductivity and biocompatibility. Calcium phosphate could be grown on collagen by precipitation method in long reaction time. Microwave irradiation is rapid method to assist precipitation by reducing reaction time. In order to study carbonated calcium phosphate precipitation on collagen and investigate the influence of microwave irradiation time, the carbonated calcium phosphate has been grown on collagen by microwave assisted precipitation method. The collagen sheets were soaked in carbonated calcium phosphate suspension prepared by using Ca(NO3)2.4H2O, (NH4)2HPO4, and NaHCO3 as starting materials, then microwave irradiated at 270 Watt for 2 minutes, 8 minutes, and 16 minutes. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) pattern shows the transformation of dicalcium phosphate dyhydrate to apatite crystal structure. Increase in irradiation time had increased crystallinity of carbonate apatite phase. FTIR spectrum had confirmed presence of collagen, phosphate, and carbonate functional group. Scanning electron micrograph showed the presence of collagen with pore, and the carbonated calcium phosphate could attach and be deposited onto collagen.