Abstract
The feasibility of producing high-quality zinc phosphate cement based on a frit-sintered mixture of ZnO, SiO2, MgO, and Bi2O3 oxides, with the addition of phosphorous slag and an aqueous solution of orthophosphoric acid as the mixing liquid, was demonstrated. The raw materials used for zinc phosphate cement preparation were investigated using various physicochemical analysis methods. It was found that the phosphorous slag contains silicon oxide (37.6%), aluminum oxide (4.49%), calcium oxide (42.4%), magnesium oxide (2.19%), as well as fluorine (1.94%) and calcium fluoride (4.91%). The slag predominantly consists of an amorphous glassy phase with minor inclusions of crystalline components. During the sintering process, the addition of 1.5–3.0 wt.% phosphorous slag to the frit promotes the formation of low-melting eutectics due to the presence of fluorides, resulting in a 100 °C reduction in the sintering temperature. An optimal zinc phosphate cement powder composition was developed, comprising: ZnO—83.0%, MgO—9.0%, SiO2—3.5%, Bi2O3—3.0%, and phosphorous slag—1.5%. The resulting sintered product exhibited a whiteness of 97.8%, which exceeds that of the reference sample by 2.6%. Upon mixing the powder with the mixing liquid, zinc ions are released first, initiating a chemical reaction that leads to the formation of zinc, magnesium, and aluminum phosphates. The compressive strength of the resulting composite cements ranged from 101.8 to 111.9 MPa, fully complying with the requirements for cement grade as specified in GOST 31578-2012.