Study of structural and optical properties of nanoparticles tricalcium phosphate doped iron for use as a sunscreen

Abstract

With the increasing number of people worldwide with skin cancer, the inefficacy of sunscreens and its high cost, this research was conducted with the aim of producing an active ingredient, which had the ability to absorb UV rays throughout the region, and photostable, nontoxic and present a cost-benefit. The tricalcium phosphate is a biocompatible substance and toxicity free. The Fe³⁺ can absorb UV. So, it became interesting to add the optical activity of the iron with the biocompatibility of tricalcium. β-FeTCP was produced by method chemical precipitation by preparing solutions of Ca(NO₃)₂.4H₂O, Fe(NO₃)3.9H₂O and (NH₄)₂HPO₄. The Fe(NO₃)₃.9H₂O solution was used on the concentrations of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2mol/L. The reaction was conducted at room temperature with vigorous agitation, keeping the pH at 10.8 with the addition of NH₄OH. The material was calcined at 800°C for 2 hours. The samples were characterized by X ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical absorption spectroscopy in the UV-Vis. XRD analysis proved the formation of the desired material. The SEM showed the formation of nanometric particles constituted by heterogeneous agglomerates. Optical absorption analysis assured that the β-FeTCP absorbs on the UV region and that the doping with 0.01mol/L of Fe³⁺ presented the best results. Therefore, the β-FeTCP produced in this research may be a promising candidate to be applied as sunscreen.