Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol.89, No.1-3, 185-192, 2002
Kinetics of hydroxyapatite heterogeneous nucleation and crystal growth during spontaneous calcium phosphate precipitation in sugar solutions
The kinetics of spontaneous calcium phosphates precipitation was studied under conditions of cane juice clarification according a 2 4 factorial plan. That precipitation takes place in tow distinct steps. The first step, corresponding to formation of amorphous calcium phosphate and brushite, is very fast. The second step corresponds to the transformation of this phases into hydroxyapatite. The kinetics results of this second step showed that heterogeneous nucleation of hydroxyapatite, on the surface of the first phases formed, is essentially complete within the induction period. The crystalline growth of the nuclei of hydroxyapatite and the dissolution of the first phases formed was interpreted by an equation rate of crystal growth combined with a dissolution equation.