Biomedical materials

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for the preparation of a silicate and carbonate co-substituted calcium phosphate material. The process comprises the steps of: forming a silicon and optionally carbon-containing calcium phosphate precipitate by an aqueous precipitation method involving preparing an aqueous solution comprising phosphate ions, silicate ions, calcium ions and optionally carbonate ions, wherein the ratio of Ca/P and of Ca/(P+Si) in the solution is maintained above approximately 1.67; and heating the precipitate in an atmosphere comprising carbon and oxygen to form a silicate and carbonate co-substituted calcium phosphate material. The present invention also provides a synthetic carbonate and silicate co-substituted hydroxyapatite material, as well as a biomedical material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.