TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of nanoparticle structure and morphology in the dissolution kinetics and nutrient release of nitrate-doped calcium phosphate nanofertilizers
AU - Carmona, Francisco J.
AU - Dal Sasso, Gregorio
AU - Bertolotti, Federica
AU - Ramírez-Rodríguez, Gloria B.
AU - Delgado-López, José M.
AU - Pedersen, Jan Skov
AU - Masciocchi, Norberto
AU - Guagliardi, Antonietta
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Bio-inspired synthetic calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles (NPs), mimicking the mineral component of bone and teeth, are emergent materials for sustainable applications in agriculture. These sparingly soluble salts show self-inhibiting dissolution processes in undersaturated aqueous media, the control at the molecular and nanoscale levels of which is not fully elucidated. Understanding the mechanisms of particle dissolution is highly relevant to the efficient delivery of macronutrients to the plants and crucial for developing a valuable synthesis-by-design approach. It has also implications in bone (de)mineralization processes. Herein, we shed light on the role of size, morphology and crystallinity in the dissolution behaviour of CaP NPs and on their nitrate doping for potential use as (P,N)-nanofertilizers. Spherical fully amorphous NPs and apatite-amorphous nanoplatelets (NPLs) in a core-crown arrangement are studied by combining forefront Small-Angle and Wide-Angle X-ray Total Scattering (SAXS and WAXTS) analyses. Ca2+ ion release rates differ for spherical NPs and NPLs demonstrating that morphology plays an active role in directing the dissolution kinetics. Amorphous NPs manifest a rapid loss of nitrates governed by surface-chemistry. NPLs show much slower release, paralleling that of Ca2+ ions, that supports both detectable nitrate incorporation in the apatite structure and dissolution from the core basal faces.
AB - Bio-inspired synthetic calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles (NPs), mimicking the mineral component of bone and teeth, are emergent materials for sustainable applications in agriculture. These sparingly soluble salts show self-inhibiting dissolution processes in undersaturated aqueous media, the control at the molecular and nanoscale levels of which is not fully elucidated. Understanding the mechanisms of particle dissolution is highly relevant to the efficient delivery of macronutrients to the plants and crucial for developing a valuable synthesis-by-design approach. It has also implications in bone (de)mineralization processes. Herein, we shed light on the role of size, morphology and crystallinity in the dissolution behaviour of CaP NPs and on their nitrate doping for potential use as (P,N)-nanofertilizers. Spherical fully amorphous NPs and apatite-amorphous nanoplatelets (NPLs) in a core-crown arrangement are studied by combining forefront Small-Angle and Wide-Angle X-ray Total Scattering (SAXS and WAXTS) analyses. Ca2+ ion release rates differ for spherical NPs and NPLs demonstrating that morphology plays an active role in directing the dissolution kinetics. Amorphous NPs manifest a rapid loss of nitrates governed by surface-chemistry. NPLs show much slower release, paralleling that of Ca2+ ions, that supports both detectable nitrate incorporation in the apatite structure and dissolution from the core basal faces.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088665091&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-020-69279-2
DO - 10.1038/s41598-020-69279-2
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 32709936
AN - SCOPUS:85088665091
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 10
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 12396
ER -