Bovine bonesweretreatedwithaqueoussolutionsofNaOHandKOHinordertoremovetheorganicparts.Suchhydroxyapatitepowders
differ fromeachotherbytheirparticlesizesdependingonthetimeoftreatmentandconcentrationoftheextractingagent.Itwasfoundthat
prolonged timeoftreatmentandincreasedhydroxidesconcentrationledtothepowdersofsmallerspecific surfaceareaandlargercrystallitesizes.
These observationsaswellasTEMinvestigationsallowedustoconcludethattheprocessofdissolutionandcrystallizationoccursduringthe
hydroxide treatment.Simultaneouslystructuralchangesoccur;hydroxidegroupsbecomepartiallysubstitutedforcarbonategroups.
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