A novel and facile synthesis of calcium silicate nanoparticles as a base for root canal cement/sealer under constant potential: Compared to chemical synthesis

Abstract

Among inorganic biomaterials, which recently have received great attention in regenerative medicine, calcium silicate-based cements are bioactive materials that are prepared based on a composition of calcium and silicate. This manuscript explores the synthesis of pure calcium silicate (CaSiO3) nanoparticles using two different methods: sol-gel synthesis and electrochemical synthesis. The goal is to compare the structural characteristics of the synthesized products. In the sol-gel method, CaSiO3 is prepared using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and calcium nitrate tetrahydrate, while in the electrochemical method; CaSiO3 is synthesized under constant potential using the same materials. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized using various analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Additionally, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were performed. The XRD analysis revealed crystal sizes of 21 nm and 39.94 nm for electrochemical and chemical synthesis, respectively, indicating the formation of wollastonite-type CaSiO3 in the electrochemical method. SEM analysis showed average particle sizes of 62.44 nm and 119 nm for electrochemical and chemical synthesis, respectively. The results demonstrate that the proposed electrochemical method offers a simple, rapid, inexpensive, and high-purity approach for the synthesis of CaSiO3, which can serve as an alternative to chemical methods. The findings of this study contribute to the development of biomaterials for dental and medical applications.