Synthesis and Characterization of Alpha-Tricalcium Phosphate and Its Single-Component Cement

Alpha-tricalcium phosphate can be used as a powder component in the preparation process of calcium phosphate cements in hard tissue applications. In this study, the mentioned powder was synthesized through chemical precipitation method using calcium nitrate and diammonium hydrogen phosphate as the raw materials. The resulting powder was heat-treated at 1250 °C and quenched at the ambient temperature. The results of X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the formation of crystalline Alpha-tricalcium phosphate phase and presence of P-O chemical groups, respectively. The Single-component cement was prepared using Alpha-tricalcium phosphate powder with the liquid phase containing 2.5 % disodium hydrogen phosphate. The resulting cement sample had an initial setting time of 17 1 minute and the compressive strength of 21 2 MPa. The XRD and FTIR experiments revealed the formation of a great amount of calcium deficient hydroxyapatite as the resulting cement product. According to the findings, the cement setting occurred through the hydrolysis of Alpha-tricalcium phosphate powders and the formation of calcium deficient hydroxyapatite nanoflakes of approximately 500 nm in length. Finally, the cement acellular bioactivity experiment confirmed that the hydroxyapatite was formed on the outer surface of the cement during 14 days of immersion in the simulated body fluid.