Electrochemical synthesis of micrometre amorphous calcium phosphate tubes and their transformation to hydroxyapatite tubes

Amorphous calcium phosphate tube-like structures were formed on magnesium substrates using a straightforward electrochemical process. The effect of voltage, time and the resulting hydrogen gas evolution were found to be responsible for sculpturing the tube-like structures covering the entire substrate surface. Scanning electron microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy was used to quantify the size, shape, structure and composition of the tube-like structures. Microscopy analysis was used to develop a model to describe the mechanism behind the formation of the tube-like structures. Also investigated was a hydrothermal technique used to convert the amorphous calcium phosphate structures into hydroxyapatite. Both X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy were used to confirm the effectiveness of the conversion process