Starting from commercial materials, beta-TCP powder was prepared by a conventional solid reaction route. Using DTG, TG and DTA, the mass change and the heat flow during heating of the commercial powder mixture were tested. The phase evolution at each step of the heating was monitored using XRD analyses. Based on the tests and the analyses the reaction details were analyzed. The beta-TCP powder prepared in this study has high thermal stability. The phase transition temperature from beta to alpha was determined to be 1350degreesC, 200degreesC higher than commercial beta-TCP powder (Plasma Biotal). The high phase transition temperature was due to Mg trace in the starting materials. (C) 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers.