Structure and in vitro solubility of silicon-substituted hydroxyapatite

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) and Si-containing hydroxyapatite (SiHAp) particles were synthesized by a wet chemical method. Local structures around Si, P and H in the hydroxyapatites were analyzed by solid-state magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In vitro solubility of those SiHAp particles was evaluated by soaking them in acetic acid/acetate buffer solution (pH=4.0) at 36.5°C. As the Si content increased, the in vitro solubility of the SiHAp particles increased, while their crystallite size changed little.