Multifunctional ferrimagnetic glass–ceramic for the treatment of bone tumor and associated complications

Abstract

Silver-containing ferrimagnetic glass–ceramic (Ag-SC45) was synthesized by means of melt and quenching technique. Samples were subjected to morphological, compositional, structural analyses, ability to generate heat, magnetic measurements at high and low magnetic field and antibacterial test using S. aureus strain. The influence of silver introduction and the effect of annealing process were investigated. Morphological, compositional and structural analyses evidenced the formation of metallic silver particles embedded in the glass–ceramic. The hysteresis cycles showed slight differences in the hysteresis cycle area ratio and coercive field values as a function of the annealing treatment and of silver presence, while no difference was evidenced in the specific power loss. All samples demonstrated the ability to produce heat when exposed to an alternating magnetic field. Finally, preliminary antibacterial test showed that Ag-SC45 samples not subjected to annealing possessed an antibacterial effect.