Influence of fuels on monticellite synthesis via combustion method

Monticellite is a calcium-magnesium based material with better bioactivity, high mechanical strength, cytocompatibility and osteointegration. Sol-gel assisted combustion technique was adopted to prepare pure monticellite phase by using three different fuels (citric acid, glycine and urea). The influence of different fuels on material properties of monticellite was analyzed with the aid of XRD, SEM, TEM and AFM techniques. The XRD patterns revealed that among the three fuels examined, glycine and urea resulted in pure monticellite phase at 1200°C while citric acid derived monticellite showed akermanite as secondary phase. Morphological analysis such as SEM and TEM micrographs of monticellite showed spherical beads like structure with agglomeration of particles and the particle size lies in the micron regime. Atomic force microscope image shows high surface roughness for the monticellite prepared by using urea as a fuel.