Surface Modification of Nano-Hydroxyapatite by Coating Stearic Acid

Abstract

Todays, researchers are challenging with manufacturing polymeric nanocomposites reinforced with ceramic particles due to two inherent properties of ceramic reinforcement particles, particle agglomeration and incompatibility between hydrophilic ceramic particles and hydrophobic polymeric matrix. So in this study, we used nano-Hydroxyapatite (n-HA) as ceramic material and Stearic acid as amphiphilic material for coating n-HA, hydroxysteric acid (SA) surfactant was used for surface coating particles between the hydrophilic HA powders and the hydrophobic polymers. The surface modification and effect of this method were evaluated by by Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR), x-ray diffractometer (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The result of FTIR showed that n-HA surfaces were modified successfully and the modification method had the proper grafting amount according to TGA due to this method of modification will be proper for coating reinforcement particles in polymeric matrix.