Effect of Temperature on Solid-State Reaction of Prawn Shell-Derived Phase-Pure β-Tricalcium Phosphate.

Over the past three decades, bioresorbable ceramics such as beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)-based porous scaffolds have been extensively studied. β-TCP-based scaffolds or cements for bone tissue applications have proved to be an outstanding alternative to repair and regenerate bone tissue defects caused by trauma or injury. In this study, an investigation on submicron β-TCP powders derived from prawn shell (Fenneropenaeus indicus, a source of marine biowaste) via solid-state reaction approach was carried out, which has calcite (CaCO₃) in its exoskeleton (nonedible). The prawn shell-derived β-TCP can be prepared conventionally with dicalcium phosphate (CaHPO₄) at different temperatures 900, 1000, 1100, and 1200 °C. The EDX spectra detect the Ca:P ratio of 1.5 confirming the formation of pure β-TCP at 1100 °C, which is in complete agreement with theoretical ratio. X-ray diffraction pattern revealed the phase-pure crystalline rhombohedral crystal structure of β-TCP with an average crystallite size of ~ 25.8 nm, prepared at 1100 °C. The field emission scanning electron microscopy images showed a homogeneous distribution of β-TCP powders with an average grain size of 3.07 µm at 1100 °C. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirm the characteristics peaks of β-TCP. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis are performed to study the thermal behavior of the initial precursors mixture to synthesize β-TCP. β-TCP scaffolds sintered at 1100 °C exhibited compressive strength of ~ 6.2 MPa, for which Ca/P ratio is 1.51. Biodegradation study conducted on β-TCP scaffolds sintered at 1100 °C has shown slow degradation rate up to 5 days. Therefore, the prawn shell-derived β-TCP has physical and morphological properties which projects it as a promising implantable biomaterial for synthetic bone graft substitutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]