A novel preparation of magnetic hydroxyapatite nanotubes

We report here the novel preparation of magnetic hydroxyapatite nanotubes (MHAnt). Poly(caprolactone) (PCL)-magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) composite nanofiber was used as a template for the MHAnt. The surface of the composite nanofiber was activated in an alkaline solution and then an apatite mineral phase was deposited through a series of solution-mediated processes. After heat-treatment at 500 °C, a hollow tube of HA-MNPs was created in which HA formed an outer shell and most of the MNPs lined the inner shell surface. The inner shell size was about 650 nm and the shell thickness was about 137 nm. The developed MHAnt showed a saturation magnetization of 27.20 emu/g, exhibiting a ferromagnetic property. The newly developed MHAnt may be useful in biomedical applications such as hyperthermia treatment of bone cancer.