Figure 3.

Steady rheological analysis and the viscosity curves of the copolymer solution and CPCs after 1 min of setting. Relationship between shear stress and the shear rate (a) and relationship between viscosity and the shear rate (b) of the 20 w/v% copolymer solution (blue line with triangles), α-TCP paste with deionized water (red line with circles) and α-TCP paste with 20 w/v% copolymer solution (black line with squares), prepared at an L/P of 0.5 g·g⁻¹ at 25 °C. The arrows indicate the outward and return sweeps; the hysteresis loop indicates thixotropy. While the α-TCP cement made from the addition of pure water separated following steady state rheological measurement (c) and disintegrated following immediate injection in water at 37 °C (e), the α-TCP cement made from the addition of the 20 w/v% copolymer solution remained homogeneous (d) and exhibited cohesion following injection in water at 37 °C, retaining the shape of the injected filament (f).