Core–shell hydroxyapatite/Mg nanostructures: surfactant free facile synthesis, characterization and their in vitro cell viability studies against leukaemia cancer cells (K562)

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite/magnesium core–shell nanostructures were synthesized by a simple and cost effective precipitation method without a surfactant. The properties of the prepared samples were studied by using sophisticated analytical techniques. X-ray analysis confirms the phase purity and high crystallinity of the sample with an average crystallite size of 26 nm. The microscopic images show the spherical morphology of the pure and core–shell hydroxyapatite/magnesium. The other characterization studies also confirm the formation of pure hydroxyapatite and hydroxyapatite/magnesium core–shell nanostructures. The obtained materials were subjected to in vitro cell viability analysis by using human leukaemia cancer cells – K562 through a sulforhodamine-B assay. The results obtained depict that the HAp/Mg core–shell nanorods were not significantly toxic to K562 cells in the given concentrations compared with the pristine HAp. This is due to the enhanced biocompatibility and biodegradability of the magnesium shell. The present finding underlines the possible use of this material for biomedical applications.