Preparation of calcium phosphates with negative zeta potential using sodium calcium polyphosphate as a precursor

Abstract Calcium phosphates with negative zeta potential belong to a type of materials favoring apatite nucleation, bone regeneration, as well as osseointegration. Unfortunately, there are limited options to produce such materials. The present work demonstrates a simple but versatile method to prepare calcium phosphates with negative zeta potential using sodium calcium polyphosphate as a precursor. The resulting products can be hydroxyapatite, calcium pyrophosphate or monetite, depending on the relevant experimental conditions. Both hydroxyapatite and calcium pyrophosphate were composed of nanoparticles. However, the as-prepared monetite was micro-plates with nanoporous surface structures. Such calcium phosphates may have great potential in bone tissue engineering applications.