Hydroxyapatite
Hydroxyapatite (HA, HAp or CaHA), an inorganic mineral with the formula Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂ and a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 1.67, is the primary mineral component of human bone. As a bioactive ceramic, HAp supports hard-tissue regeneration and is an ideal material for tissue engineering, offering biocompatibility, stability, and non-resorbability.
Synthetic hydroxyapatite was developed to eliminate risks associated with acellular allograft or xenograft sources, providing a safe, scalable solution to meet the needs of regenerative medicine. Plasma Biotal’s CAPTAL ® hydroxyapatite is manufactured and characterised to the latest ISO 13779-6 standard, ensuring reliability across applications. We specialise in high-flow powders for plasma-sprayed coatings and offer customisable solutions for both small and large orders, with tailored morphology, density, and particle sizes to meet specific product and research requirements.
Suitable for use in:
Popular Hydroxyapatite Product Formulations
- Sintered hydroxyapatite powder, available in spherical and angular morphologies.
- CAPTAL® ‘R’ is an unsintered powder designed for a high degree of crystallinity and surface area.
- High-performance hydroxyapatite microspheres designed for flowability.
- Amorphous hydroxyapatite precursor material designed for processability.
- Micron-scale, abrasive material designed for processability.
Hydroxyapatite FAQ’s
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What can I do with hydroxyapatite?
Hydroxyapatite is widely used in coatings on medical devices, bone void filling, bone cements, 3D printing, dentistry, toothpaste, chromatography, dermal fillers, biomedical research, drug delivery, gene therapy, heavy metal immobilisation and pollution control.
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What’s the difference between hydroxyapatite and hydroxylapatite?
There is no difference between hydroxyapatite and hydroxylapatite. Both terms refer to Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2. Academics may prefer Hydroxy(l)apatite however Hydroxyapatite is also widely used. Hydroxyapatite can be abbreviated to (HA, HAp or CaHA).
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Why is hydroxyapatite coated on medical devices?
Coating a metallic medical device with synthetic calcium hydroxyapatite combines the device’s load-bearing strength with a bioactive surface that mimics the mineral phase of natural bone. This triggers a stronger initial bone healing response and prevents the formation of a fibrotic interface between the implant and native bone. As a result, early bone formation is significantly improved, with stable anchorage created as new bone is deposited on the coating’s surface, forming strong mechanical bonds between the bone and implant. This provides secure implant fixation without the issues associated with bone cements. These bonds are long lasting as highly crystalline hydroxyapatite is considered insoluble in vivo and so the structural integrity of the coating is unaffected by cell activity over time.
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How can hydroxyapatite be used in dermal fillers?
When selecting a material for dermal fillers, key considerations include inflammation, allergen risk, and longevity. Hydroxyapatite is exceptionally biocompatible, as it naturally occurs in the body, which both minimises inflammation and allergy risk in addition to being stable long-term in the body, resulting in longer-lasting therapeutic effects.
When implanted, hydroxyapatite stimulates fibroblasts through direct contact. In the dermis, this process has been shown to induce local collagen and elastin production, restoring viscoelasticity and rejuvenating the skin by reversing the extracellular matrix changes associated with aging.
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How can hydroxyapatite be used outside the medical industry?
The mineral content of bone is not just structural in its functionality; it plays a critical role in maintaining ionic homeostasis in the body through ion exchange and substitution. Hydroxyapatite, with its dual acidic and basic adsorption sites, excellent ion-exchange properties, and high thermal stability, possesses chemical properties well suited to filtration and separation applications. It is widely used in chromatography for biomolecule separation and research shows promising potential in pollution treatment, battery separators, and biodiesel production catalysts.