Effects of added mannitol on the setting reaction and mechanical strength of apatite cement

Apatite cement containing porogen can be a useful material for the fabrication of biporous (macro- and microporous) apatite, which has gained much attention as a bone substitute material because of its large surface area and that it improves cell penetration. In the present study, the effects of added mannitol on the setting reaction and mechanical strength of apatite cement were evaluated. Apatite cements containing 0-40 wt% of mannitol were prepared and allowed to set in 0.9% saline kept at 37°C for 1-7 days. Although the diametral tensile strength (DTS) value increased with time, it decreased with the amount of added mannitol. SEM observation and XRD analysis revealed that mannitol had no inhibitory effect on the transformation reaction of apatite cement to apatite. It was thus concluded that mannitol was a good candidate for the fabrication of biporous apatite because it is biocompatible, exhibits satisfactory dissolution behavior, and that it caused no inhibitory effects on the compositional transformation to apatitic material.