Setting time, handling property and mechanical strength evaluation of SCPC50 and apatite cement mixture in various combinations

Apatite cement is ideal self-setting cement for bone substitute material, however its use is limited only to areas that receive minimum load bearing because mechanical strength of apatite cement is low. Silica-calcium phosphate nanocomposite (SCPC50) is material having good mechanical strength and has an important role in bone remodeling (bone metabolism), mineralization, synthesis of cartilage, collagen production, proliferation and differentiation of bone cells. However, the unsetting and granule’s physical shape of SCPC50 limits the application. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of various mixtures of SCPC50 and apatite cement to manipulative index (setting time and handling property), and mechanical properties. The experimental results show that the setting time of apatite cement mixture with 5% and 10% SCPC50 was 40% higher (p<0.05). The mechanical strength evaluated by Diametral Tensile Strength showed that the addition of both 5% silica and 10% SCPC50 composition to apatite cement mixture increased the mechanical strength of apatite cement mixture (p<0.1). The handling property of cement paste was significantly increased between the apatite cement without SCPC50 and apatite cement with both 5% SCPC50 and 10% SCPC50 (p<0.05). It is concluded that the addition of SCPC50 to apatite cement mixture could improve the mechanical properties and it is expected to improve its bioactivity.