small change in the Ca/P ratio of HA especially caused by substitution of ions can
have a remarkable effect on its properties. In addition, there can be a noticeable
effect on the crystallinity of nanopowder by ionic substitution in HA and its heat
treatment. These changes are helpful when such nanopowders are used as drug
release agents, bone grafts, and bone void fillers to deal with various diseases related
to bone infections and injuries. Furthermore, the coatings on implants with ionic
substituted HAs also show a great future potential in the protection of biodegradable
metallic implants. Interestingly, many researchers have proposed that the ionic
substituted HA mimic the natural bone, but their results are far from reality and
mimicking of real composition of bone is still not achieved. The natural bone
constitutes various trace ions, but the fact is that only one or two ions have been
incorporated simultaneously in ionic substituted HAs.
Nevertheless, human bone has high magnesium amount, and it has more
biological relevance, but a comprehensive study on its substitution is not available.
Although human bone contains a very small amount of Sr, an extensive study on its
substitution is reported in the literature. Besides this, various ions like Na, K, etc. are
Fig. 23.12 ZnFHA coated 316L SS after immersion in SBF
23
Unleashing Potential of Bone Mimicking Nanodimensional Hydroxyapatites and. . .
449