PREPARATION OF MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE CEMENT BY THE MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE-LIMESTONE METHOD

In this study, magnesium oxide (MgO) was synthesised by calcining magnesium chloride hexahydrate and limestone at varying temperatures. The synthesised MgO was subsequently analysed and characterised through X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques. The MgO derived from this process was utilised in manufacturing magnesium phosphate cement (MPC), offering an alternative to the dead-burned magnesium commonly used in conventional MPC formulations. This novel approach facilitates the cost-effective and eco-friendly MPC production and broadens its potential applications. The MPC characteristics were evaluated by measuring the hydration heat release and using XRD, SEM, and Mercury Intrusion Porosimeter (MIP) tests. These results were compared with those of MPC made from dead burned magnesium. The results demonstrated that MgO produced at 600 °C and 700 °C exhibits excessively high reactivity, adversely affecting the MPC preparation. Conversely, MgO produced at temperatures exceeding 800 °C exhibited superior mechanical properties, making it a viable substitute for the traditionally used dead-burned magnesium.