Production and characterization of new calcium phosphate bone cements in the CaHPO4-alpha-Ca3(PO4)2 system: pH, workability and setting times.

The initial setting properties of calcium phosphate cements in the CaHPO4-alpha-Ca3(PO4)2 (DCP-alpha-TCP) system have been investigated. Interest was focused on the pH, workability, cohesion time and initial and final setting times. The addition of CaCO3 modified the structure of the cement reaction product such that it became more similar to the apatite phase in bone mineral. The addition of 10% w/w of CaCO3 reduced the viscosity of the cement pastes resulting in an increase in initial and final setting times and improved injectability. Copyright 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers