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Apatite formation on CaSiO3 ceramics was investigated using two different simulated body fluids (SBF) proposed by Kokubo (1990) and Tas (2000) and three sample/SBF (S/S) ratios (1.0, 2.5 and 8.3 mg/ml) at 36.5 degrees C for 1-25 days. The CaSiO3 ceramic was prepared by firing coprecipitated gel with Ca/Si = 0.91 at 1400 degrees C. The bulk density was 2.14 g/cm3 and the relative density about 76%. The two SBF solutions contain different concentrations of HCO3- and Cl- ions, the concentrations of which are closer to human blood plasma in the Tas SBF formulation than in the Kokubo formulation. The pH values in the former solution are also more realistic. The CaSiO3 ceramics show apatite formation in SBF (Kokubo) after soaking for only 1 day at all S/S ratios whereas different phases were formed at each S/S ratio in SBF (Tas). The crystalline phases formed were mainly apatite at S/S = 1.0 mg/ml, carbonate-type apatite at 2.5 mg/ml and calcite at 8.3 mg/ml. At higher S/S ratios the increase in the Ca concentration became higher while the P concentration became lower in the reacted SBF. These changes in SBF concentrations and increasing pH occurred at higher S/S ratios, producing more favorable conditions in the SBF for the formation of carbonate bearing phases, finally leading to the formation of calcite instead of apatite in the higher HCO3- ion concentration SBF (Tas). Apatite is, however, formed in the lower HCO3- ion concentration SBF (Kokubo) even though the Ca and P concentrations change in a similar manner to SBF (Tas).

The effect of the solid/solution (S/S) ratio on apatite formation from CaSiO3 ceramics in simulated body fluid (SBF) was investigated. CaSiO3 ceramics with a Ca/Si ratio of 0.91 were prepared by sintering CaSiO3 powder coprecipitated from ethanol solutions of Ca(NO3)2. 4H2O and Si(OC2H5)4 using NH4OH as the precipitant. These ceramics were reacted with SBF at S/S ratios of 1.0, 2.5 and 8.3 mg/ml at 36.5 degrees C for various times. Formation of apatite was observed at all the S/S ratios after soaking for 1 day. The amount and microstructure of the apatite obtained at a S/S ratio of 8.3 mg/ml, however, differed largely from the product formed at the other two S/S ratios. The apatite formed at S/S = 8.3 mg/ml was of smaller particle size, formed in smaller amount and with less preferred orientation of the (001) of apatite crystals compared with those formed at S/S = 1.0 and 2.5 mg/ml. An increase of Ca and decrease of the P components occurred in the soaked SBF at S/S = 8.3 mg/ml, the changes being much more marked than with the other two S/S ratios. These differences in the concentration changes in SBF at different S/S ratios are attributed to the difference in the apatite formation from the CaSiO3 ceramics.