Synthesis and Thermal Behaviour of Calcium Alkyl Phosphates as Bioceramic Precursors

Abstract

Powders of alkyl phosphoric acids and calcium alkyl phosphates with various alkyl chains (butyl, octyl, and dodecyl) have been synthesized. The resulting powders were characterized by X-ray phase analysis, electron microscopy, and thermal analysis. It was shown that the calcium alkyl phosphates correspond to the composition of acid salts of calcium alkyl phosphates Ca(RPO4H)2, data on which are not presented in the literature. The thermal behaviour of calcium alkyl phosphates can be described as a complex phase transformation into biphasic calcium phosphate mixture (of Ca2P2O7 and Ca3(PO4)2) with the increase of the Ca to P ratio in comparison to initial materials. The powders thermally treated in the range of 400–600 °C could be recommended as single precursors of biphasic bioceramics.

Keywords

• calcium butyl phosphate
• calcium octyl phosphate calcium dodecyl phosphate
• thermolysis
• bioceramics
• microstructure