Preparation and Characterization of CaSiO<sub>3</sub>-Ca<sub>3</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub> Composite Bioceramics

Abstract

In this study, CaSiO3 (CS)/Ca3(PO4)2 (TCP) composites with 50% CS and 50% TCP sintered at different temperatures (1100oC, 1200oC and 1300oC) were prepared. The formation of bone-like apatite on CS-TCP composites was investigated by soaking the ceramics in simulated body fluid (SBF), and the presence of bone-like apatite layer on the composite surface after soaking in SBF was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results showed that the bone-like apatite was formed on all the CS-TCP composites sintered at different temperatures after 7 days of immersion. In addition, the degradation of CS-TCP composites prepared at different temperatures was evaluated by measurement of weight loss of the ceramics in Tris-HCl buffer solution at 37oC, and the results showed that there was no difference in degradation rate between the samples. In vitro cell experiments indicated that the osteoblasts proliferated faster on the CS-TCP ceramics sintered at higher temperature, and cells on the CS-TCP ceramics sintered at 1300oC showed highest proliferation rate. These results provide valuable information for designing CS-TCP composite bioceramics for bone regeneration applications.