Crystal growth of carbonate apatite using a CaCO3 flux

Single crystals of carbonate apatite were grown using a CaCO3 flux under an Ar gas pressure of 55 MPa. The crystals obtained were observed by scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Electron pr obe microanalyses and thermal analyses were performed. CO3 ions in planar t riangle form replaced both OH sites and PO4 tetrahedral sites in the apatit e structure: in particular, the OH sites were perfectly substituted by CO3 ions using this method. (C) 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.