Development of a low pH cementitious material to enlarge bioreceptivity

•A low-pH cementitious material to enlarge bioreceptivity is proposed.•Effect of acidic compounds additions in Ordinary Portland Cement was investigated.•Different formulations of magnesium phosphate cement were characterized.•Formulations with lower NH4H2PO4:MgO ratios showed the best properties.•Satisfactory results were obtain in order to enlarge bioreceptivity chemically. This paper presents a laboratory investigation into the development of a low-pH cementitious material in order to enlarge bioreceptivity. Two different options were tested; reduction of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) pH and assessment of the suitability of another hydraulic binder with lower pH, Magnesium-Phosphate Cement (MPC). Regarding OPC, additions of acidic compounds such as boric acid and oxalic acid were investigated. Furthermore, an in-depth characterization of MPC was carried out to evaluate its suitability as a binder for concrete. For this purpose, physico-chemical as well as mechanical properties were tested.