A novel cost-effective approach to fabricate diopside bioceramics: A promising ceramics for orthopedic applications

Abstract

The objective of the present study is to prepare low temperature diopside (CaMgSi2O6) ceramics from natural waste (Rice husk ash & eggshells) and study the physico-mechanical and in vitro biological properties. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) were used to assess the crystalline phase, thermal behavior, microstructure, functional groups and composition, respectively. Degradation as well as mechanical stability was studied by testing the weight loss and compressive strength in dynamic mode of simulated body fluid (SBF) according to ISO 10993-14. The bioactivity of diopside samples was tested by means of ability and rate of apatite mineralization on the surface in static mode of SBF. Cytocompatibility by human osteoblast-like cells and their proliferation were studied using MTT assay. Results revealed that the pure phase of diopside was successfully attained at significantly low temperature (800 °C) with good mechanical properties, which were nearly similar to that of human cortical bone, and with enhanced mechanical stability. Diopside ceramics possessed apatite growth on its surface in SBF and exhibits excellent biocompatibility with MG-63 cells. These results suggested that prepared diopside can be a cost-effective bioceramics for potential orthopedic applications.