Hydration study from different calcium phosphate biocements with microstructure and nanostructure

Abstract

Important features of biocements include easy molding and good wettability, hydration, and setting time during its application in biological tissue. Interest in calcium phosphate biocements is directly related to its characteristics of bioactivity, biocompatibility, and crystallographic similarity to bone apatite. This experimental study aimed to understand hydration behavior of calcium phosphate biocements with microstructure and nanostructure, with molar ratios Ca/P = 1.5; 1.6; 1.67; and 1.7 and hydration times of 5 and 30 min. The hydration tests were performed on the same solid/liquid ratio for the four Ca/P compositions. The morphology was observed via scanning electron microscopy and phases were identified with help from X-ray diffraction. The biocements showed similar effects of hydration and gelling for the periods of 5 and 30 min. The results show that these biocements can offer favorable wettability, hydration, and easy molding during the surgical procedure, which could be an innovation in implant fixation and bone tissue repair. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 820–827, 2017.