Calcium aluminate cement (CAC) has been studied as a potential material for applications in the areas of health such as, endodontics and bone reconstruction. These studies have been based on commercial products consisting of a mixture of phases. Improvements can be attained by investigating the synthesis routes of CAC aiming the proper balance between the phases and the control of impurities that may impair its performance for biomedical applications. Thus, the aim of this work was to study the CAC synthesis routes in the Al2O3-CaCO3 and Al2O3-CaO systems, as well as the phase characterization attained by means of X-ray analysis. Thus the particular properties of these phases can be evaluated to define a more suitable composition that results in better properties for an endodontic cement and other applications. The Al2O3-CaO route enabled the production of the target phases (CA, CA2, C3A and C12A7) with a higher purity compared to the Al2O3-CaCO3 one.
cement; calcium aluminate; synthesis
