Preparation and compressive strength of calcium phosphate based cement dispersed with polycrystalline ceria doped tetragonal zirconia

The preparation and strength of a calcium phosphate based cement with and without dispersed particles of polycrystalline 12mol-%CeO2 doped tetragonal zirconia (12Ce-TZP) were investigated. A cement mixture ofa-tricalcium phosphate (alfa-Ca3(PO4)2)and tetracalcium phosphate (Ca4(PO4)2O with a Ca/P ratio of 1.67 transformed completely to hydroxyapatite after curing under water for 7 d at 38°C. The compressive strength of a cement without dispersed 12Ce-TZP particles cured for 4 d at 38°C was ~11.1 MPa but increased to ~16 MPa by dispersing 3 wt-%12Ce TZP particles, of average diameter 40(mo)m, which were treated in IOM NaOH and/or 0.01M Ca5(PO4)2 gel solutions prior to dispersion. BCT/315