5 - Electrochemical synthesis of ceramics for biomedical applications

Abstract

For a long time, glasses and ceramics have been utilized in the healthcare business for eyeglasses, chemical ware, diagnostic equipment, tissue culture flasks, thermometers, and optics for endoscopy. Because of its resilience to microbial attack, pH fluctuations, the environment of solvent, temperature, and packing under the high pressure necessary for fast movement, insoluble porous glasses have been utilized as a transporter for enzymes and antibodies along with antigens. Ceramics are also commonly utilized as restorative materials in dentistry, such as glass-filled ionomer cement, gold porcelain crowns, dentures, and so on. This innovation is the novel application of specifically engineered ceramics to heal and rebuild sick or damaged body components. Calcium phosphate (CaP) is the general term for a class of minerals consisting of calcium cations (Ca2+), orthophosphate (PO43-), metaphosphate (PO3-), or pyrophosphate (P2O47-) anions, and occasionally hydrogen (H+) or hydroxide (OH-) ions. Usually, cow milk and blood consist of CaP, in the form of the most common calcium compound. CaP is the primary inorganic ingredient of bone (60 wt.%) as well as tooth enamel (ca. 90%). Apatites are CaP with atomic ratios of Ca/P ranging between 1.5 and 1.67 (such as hydroxyapatite or fluorapatite). Abraham Gottlob Werner, a German geologist, created the name apatite in 1786. Johan Gottlieb Gahn, a Swedish scientist and metallurgist, discovered the presence of CaP in bones in 1769. Various procedures for producing calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) were invented at the commencement of the 19th century, and significant compositional discrepancies between enamel, dentin, and bones were observed. Furthermore, generic biomineralization concepts have been developed.