A Comparative Study between β-TCP Prepared by Solid State Reaction and by Aqueous Solution Precipitation: Application in Cements

It is well known that calcium phosphate compounds are widely used as bone substitute due to their biocompatibility and bioactivity. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that slight changes in morphology or crystal structure can lead to several in vivo behaviours. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate two different β-TCP synthesis routes (solid state reaction and aqueous solution precipitation) and their consequences on the final cement properties. It was found out that both routes are equivalent as there were no significant differences on their cement properties, except for mechanical resistance. The latter difference can also be attributed to the difference on the particle size distributions of the obtained β-TCP. These facts indicate that solid state reaction route is more interesting given its simplicity and yield.