Abstract
The crystallographic properties of fluoridated apatites synthesized at 80 °C, pH 7.4, were studied with a wide range of calcium-phosphate feed molar ratios, (Ca/P)t, i.e. 0.1–10, and a constant calcium-fluoride feed molar ratio, (Ca/F)f of 5. In spite of the constant (Ca/F)f, F–– uptake of fluoridated apatites synthesized at low (Ca/P)f below 1.67 was strongly inhibited: at (Ca/P)f = 0.1, the fluoride content of the apatite was only about half of that at (Ca/P)f = 1.67, where the fluoride content approached the theoretical level of 2 mmol/g based on the formula Ca10(PO4)6F2. The a-axis dimensions of these fluoridated apatites varied with fluoride content in roughly the same manner as those reported previously with various fluoride contents of 0–2 mmol/g synthesized at a constant (Ca/P)f of 1.67, and various (Ca/F)f. These results suggest that the crystallographic properties of fluoridated apatites are more strongly affected by fluoride content than other ions.