title: High-strength apatitic cement by modification with superplasticizers.
abstract: This study reports on a novel method to improve the strength of apatitic bone cements. The liquid phase of Biocement-H was modified with commercial superplasticizers. The results showed that small additions, i.e. 0.5 vol%, in the aqueous liquid phase improved the maximum compressive strength of Biocement-H (35 MPa) by 71%, i.e. 60 MPa. Moreover, the addition of high amounts of superplasticizers, i.e. 50 vol.%, allowed for a significant reduction of the liquid-to-powder ratio from 0.32 to 0.256 mL/g, without affecting the maximum strength and/or the workability of the cement. These results open up new ways to develop injectable and high-strength apatitic bone cements for load-bearing applications.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Research Group for the Applied Scientific Collaboration (IRGASC), Division of Bioengineering & Biomaterials, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), Avda. Diagonal 647, E-08028-Barcelona, Spain. enrique.fernandez@upc.es
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamcerencu
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Vlad
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valls
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D001843:Bone Cements / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002484:Cementation / Q000379:methods*; D019245:Compressive Strength; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry*; D006244:Hardness; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D010968:Plasticizers; D017886:Durapatite; C018392:tricalcium phosphate