Abstract
The spherical β-calcium orthophosphate (β-Ca3(PO4)2: β-TCP) agglomerates have been prepared by a spray-pyrolysis technique. The hollow spherical agglomerates were obtained by heating the spray-pyrolyzed powder at 900°C for 10 min. The cylindrical specimen was fabricated mixing the calcium-phosphate paste (CPP) with 10-50 mass% β-TCP agglomerates, using malaxation liquid. The setting time of CPP specimen increased from 8.5 to 17 min with increasing amount of β-TCP from 10 to 50 mass%. The CPP specimens with β-TCP addition were immersed into the simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37±0.2°C for various times. The compressive strengths of CPP specimens with β-TCP addition reached maxima, e.g., 42.8 MPa for 10 mass% β-TCP addition and 7.5 MPa for 50 mass% β-TCP addition, respectively, after the immersion of these specimens in SBF for 3-7 d. Crystalline phases of the CPP specimens after the immersion in SBF for 7 d were HAp and β-TCP. The total porosity of CPP specimen increased with increasing amount of β-TCP and attained 67.1% for 50 mass% β-TCP addition.
