High-resolution transmission electron microscopy study of nanostructured hydroxyapatite

Crystalline properties of synthetic nanostructured hydroxyapatite (n-HA) were studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The focal-series-restoration technique, obtaining exit-plane wave-function and spherical aberration-corrected images, was successfully applied for the first time in this electron-beam-susceptible material. Multislice simulations and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were also employed to determine unequivocally that n-HA particles of different size preserve stoichiometric HA-like crystal structure. n-HA particles with sizes of twice the HA lattice parameter were found. These results can be used to optimize n-HA sinterization parameters to improve bioactivity.