This study proposes a new guideline for designing biodegradable apatite ceramics. Boron-containing hydroxyapatite (BHAp) particles were prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction processing method and were characterized in terms of their chemical composition, apatite lattice defects and in vitro biodegradability. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that boron-incorporation into hydroxyapatite (HAp) derived by thermo-chemical reactions between borate and calcium phosphate phases led to disordered phases (BCaP) of a CaO-P 2 O 5 -B 2 O 3 -OH system covering the crystalline HAp core. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the BCaP phase must consist mainly of a crystalline oxyboroapatite (OBAp) phase. An in vitro biodegradability test showed that BHAp degraded quicker than HAp or b-tricalcium phosphate. The biodegradability of BHAp particles can be controlled by boron incorporation into a HAp lattice leading to the formation of a disordered OBAp phase.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used for a detailed investigation of the borate incorporation in apatitic biomaterials prepared by high-temperature solid-state reaction sintering. The NMR data clearly show that crystalline hydroxyapatite (HAp) does exist, but it contains only about 30% of the entire phosphate content of the sample. The main phosphate content of about 70% forms a disordered calcium phosphate phase (BCaP) that accommodates the borate units in two structurally different trigonal BO3 3− groups besides some minor linear BO2 − units. The average chemical composition of BCaP was estimated from the NMR spectra. Furthermore, a structural model of these particles is proposed, where HAp forms the crystalline core of these crystals covered by the disordered BCaP, suggesting that the BCaP phase is responsible for the adhesion properties of organic molecules like proteins and not HAp that is the only significant crystalline phase (XRD). Furthermore, the presence of an interface between HAp and BCaP is discussed based on various NMR experiments, including a triple-resonant 11B−31P cross-polarization edited 31P NMR spectrum with subsequent 31P{1H} REDOR (Rotational Echo DOuble Resonance) dephasing.

The incorporation of ions in the lattice of hydroxyapatite alters significantly its structure. Particularly, if anions such as trigonal borate units are accommodated in the lattice severe distortions must occur around the substitution site because of different geometric shape, electric charge and anion size. Solid-state NMR has been used to investigate this problem in detail for a hydroxyapatite sample synthesized by high temperature solid state reaction. The results clearly verify the existence of network distortions. Indeed, only about 1/3 of the total phosphate content forms crystalline hydroxyapatite (also found in XRD) whereas the residual amount is contained in two different phosphate sites with 31P chemical shifts of 5.5 ppm and 2.3 ppm, but broad resonances lines suggesting disorder. Furthermore, a novel proton signal at -0.6 ppm was found which is directly associated with the borate incorporation. No specific correlation of the two structurally different borate units with the two phosphate groups is found.

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