The current approach in bone tissue engineering requires resorbable biomaterials that enhance bone formation while maintaining sufficient mechanical stability. In this work, the influence of three levels of B-type carbonate substitution in hydroxyapatite lattice on mechanical strength and degradation rate is analyzed. The inverse aqueous route has been selected as a synthesis method of four powders with carbonate substitution between 4 and 6 wt.%. X-ray fluorescence (XRF), (C-S)-Analysis, FT-Infrared, X-ray diffraction, DTA-TG and TEM were used to investigate chemical composition, type of substitution, thermal behaviour, and morphology of the powders. Disc shaped specimens were processed by uniaxial pressing and sintering in argon/CO2 flow. Maximum temperatures of thermal treatment between 750 and 850 °C were selected to obtain similar porosity levels for the different compositions. The highest carbonate substituted material (5.3 wt.%) presented higher compressive strength and dissolution rate than the other materials showing the beneficial effect of B-type substitution in hydroxyapatite materials for bone repair.
This study investigated the transformation of cancrinite-type zeolite, together with secondary phases, in a hydrothermal system. The mineral kaolin and NaOH were used as precursors under self-generated pressure at 140 °C, varying the reaction time at intervals of 0 to 10 hours. The kaolin, the main precursor, was subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental chemical composition (XRF) and Fourier Transform IR Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses. The resulting solids were characterized by XRD. Initially, crystalline phases such as Na-P2 zeolites, gismondine, analcime, natrolite and sodalite were formed, but with time they became unstable and dissolved to form new phases. At 8 hours of reaction, the cancrinite zeolite predominated, fulfilling the main objective of the study. The solid material was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and FT-IR. The behavior of Na, Si and Al in the solutions was evaluated over time by inductre coupled plasma (ICP). It was conclusively demonstrated that kaolin from Hidalgo is a feasible precursor to synthesize zeolites, cancrinite type as predominant phase in 8 hours at 140 °C, using moderate concentrations of NaOH.
The impact of graphene oxide (GO) on the hydration process, calcium silicate hydrate (CS
H) gels structure, and macro-mechanical properties were systematically researched by combinatorial techniques. Findings from 29Si MAS-NMR and nitrogen adsorption (BET) revealed that the effect of GO on the hydration degree of the cement paste, and the main chain length (MCL) is more pronounced at advanced ages (from 28 days), due to its act as a nucleation site. Moreover, the results of Raman spectroscopy tests showed that GO has a strong interaction with the cement matrix. Due to the increase in the degree of hydration, the lengthening of the chain length (MCL), and the formation of strong bonds, both compressive and flexural strength tests also improved. Therefore, the effect of GO as a nucleation site has a positive effect on the cement paste nano-properties at advanced ages.
The use of natural zeolites as precursors offers a valuable alternative in the search for new materials applied to zeolite synthesis. Each study focused on the interzeolitic conversion method plays a fundamental role in understanding the evolution from one zeolite to another. In this study, a natural zeolite containing the crystalline phases of clinoptilolite and mordenite, with HEU and MOR topologies, respectively, as per the coding assigned by the IZA, was employed as a precursor. Combined with potassium–aluminum hydroxide solutions at two different concentrations, followed by a conventional hydrothermal process with durations of 50 and 90 h, characterization of both the precursor and resulting zeolite was performed. A conversion mechanism was proposed based on the structural similarity between the initial and target zeolites. To support these conclusions, characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption were utilized. This process represents a potential pathway for the synthesis of merlinoite-type zeolites, MER.

