Synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HA) and fluoroapatite (FA) nanoparticles were carried out via a simple sonochemical technique. For this purpose, diammonium hydrogen phosphate [(NH4)2HPO4], hydrated calcium nitrate [Ca(NO3)2.4H2O], and ammonium fluoride [NH4F] were used as the precursors for preparation of the nanosized bioceramics. The sonochemical process was carried out at 50 W and a temperature of 30 οC, while the pH of the reactions was kept above 10. The HA and FA nanoparticles were calcined at 600 and 700 οC. The samples were completely crystalline at the latter calcinations temperature. Both of the nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These analyses demonstrated that the particle were crystalline having sizes approximately in the range of 30-60 nm. It was also found that the nanoparticles were spherical and semispherical in shape.

Keywords: Sonochemical synthesis, Nanoparticles, Bioceramics, Hydroxyapatite, Fluoroapatite.