A highly reproducible continuous process for hydroxyapatite nanoparticles synthesis.

This work presents a continuous process for producing hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (NanoXIM) in a network reactor, NETmix, fed by a calcium solution, a phosphorus solution and an alkaline solution. Hydroxyapatite is considered a biomaterial, used as: food additives and nutritional supplements; bone graft for bone replacement, growth and repair; biocements and coating of metallic implant. Some of the most recent applications include their use in cosmetics, toothpaste and in esthetical treatments for diminishing wrinkles by stimulating conjunctive tissue formation. The proposed process enables the micromixing control, which is essential to form nanometric structures, but it is also a determining factor in the crystals purity, crystallinity and morphology. The reactants distribution scheme at the inlet of the reactor and along the reactor, performed continuously or varying in time, is also a crucial factor to programme the properties of reactant media along the reactor, such as the pH, the supersaturation degree, the Ca/P molar ratio, and the temperature. The calcium phosphate nanoparticles suspension that exits the reactor is submitted to further aging, separation, drying, sintering and milling processes.