Phase Development During Setting and Hardening of a Bone Cement Based on alpha-Tricalcium and Octacalcium Phosphates

In this study, the phase development in the cement system alpha-TCP-OCP with phosphoric acid as a setting liquid was studied. The most promising formulation of alpha-TCP (60 wt%) and OCP (40 wt%) is proposed. This cement has the following characteristics: setting time 10 min, pH = 6.7, the compressive strength about 30 MPa, and high dissolution rate in an isotonic solution; the final wt% composition of alpha-TCP/DCPD/HA/OCP equals 27/38/20/15. Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction techniques were used for in situ monitoring of the processes taking place in the cement in real time.