Fluoride-substituted hydroxyapatite (FHAp) nanorods have been successfully prepared by adding Tween80. As compared to the
spheroidal morphology without any surfactant, the FHAp nanorods prepared with Tween80 were elongated along the c-axis. The reason was
attributable to the enlarged difference between the growth rates of crystal surfaces due to the adsorption of Tween80. The effects of the pH
value on the apatite formation were investigated by calculating the solubility isotherms of the Ca2+–PO4
3–F–H2O system in conjunction
with experimental results, and it was found that acidic solutions were unfavorable to FHAp preparation and the proper pH should be
controlled at about 9 when preparing the FHAp nanorods with the addition of Tween80.
D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.