Materials Research

 

Calcium Phosphate Blends

 

           Our proprietary calcium phosphate blends are comprised of FDA-approved indirect food additives that are meshed together through a high-impact, high-energy solid-state synthetic process to form functionalized composite materials. This process alters the physical and chemical properties of the additives and can be tailored to a specific design application. The resulting particles can span a range in size from sub-micron to tens of nanometers depending on the materials and processing parameters used to formulate the blend. 

 

Niobium Oxide Coatings

 

           Recently, we have discovered a unique and highly-ordered form of niobium oxide prepared through a rapid electrochemical process. The formation of this oxide manifests intricate detail on the micro, meso, and nano scales. Interestingly, the morphology and crystallinity of these self-assembled microstructures can be tailored, for example, to induce hydroxyapatite nucleation when immersed in supersaturated solutions emulating body fluids. Other potential applications include sensing, templating, and catalysis. Representative cross-sectional images of these structures are shown below.

 

Selected References

 

1. Karlinsey, RL. Preparation of self-organized niobium oxide microstructures via potentiostatic anodization. Electrochem. Comm. 7, 1190 (2005).

2. Karlinsey, RL. Self-assembled Nb2O5 microcones with tailored crystallinity. J. Mat. Sci. 40(15), 5017 (2006).

3. Karlinsey, RL, Yi, K, Duhn, CW. Nucleation and growth of apatite by a self-assembled polycrystalline bioceramic. Bioinsp. Biomim. 1, 12 (2006).

4. Karlinsey, RL, Hara, AT, Yi, K, Duhn, CW. Bioactivity of novel self-assembled crystalline Nb2O5 microstructures in simulated and human salivas. Biomed. Mater. 1, 16 (2006).

 

Karlinsey, RL. Electrochem. Comm. 7, 1190 (2005).