Abstract
Sol–gel synthesis using inorganic and/or organic precursors that undergo hydrolysis and condensation at room temperature is a very attractive and less energetic method for preparing bioactive glass (BG) compositions, as an alternative to the melt-quenching process. When properly conducted, sol–gel synthesis might result in amorphous structures, with all of the components intimately mixed at the atomic scale. Moreover, developing new and better performing materials for bone tissue engineering is a growing concern, as the aging of the world’s population leads to lower bone density and osteoporosis. This work describes the sol–gel synthesis of a novel quaternary silicate-based BG with the composition 60 SiO2–34 CaO–4 MgO–2 P2O5 (mol%), which was prepared using acidified distilled water as a single solvent. By controlling the kinetics of the hydrolysis and condensation steps, an amorphous glass structure could be obtained. The XRD results of samples calcined within the temperature range of 600–900 °C demonstrated that the amorphous nature was maintained until 800 °C, followed by partial crystallization at 900 °C. The specific surface area—an important factor in osteoconduction—was also evaluated over different temperatures, ranging from 160.6 ± 0.8 m2/g at 600 °C to 2.2 ± 0.1 m2/g at 900 °C, accompanied by consistent changes in average pore size and pore size distribution. The immersion of the BG particles in simulated body fluid (SBF) led to the formation of an extensive apatite layer on its surface. These overall results indicate that the proposed material is very promising for biomedical applications in bone regeneration and tissue engineering.
Highlights
Noticeable increases in life expectancy have been achieved over the past two centuries, as well documented in several literature reports [1,2]
A quaternary bioactive glass with a composition consisting of 60 SiO2–34 CaO–4 MgO–2 P2O5 was prepared via the sol–gel method, following a detailed procedure described elsewhere [32]
This work reports on the fabrication and processing of a new bioactive glass belonging to the SiO2–CaO–MgO–P2O5 system via the sol–gel method
Summary
Noticeable increases in life expectancy have been achieved over the past two centuries, as well documented in several literature reports [1,2]. The overall scientific progress made in the medical field, especially over the most recent decades, has greatly contributed to an increase in the population’s quality of life and life expectancy. Such progresses together brought an unavoidable increase in the average age of the population, with social, economic, and medical consequences [3,4]. The consequent increased incidence of bone-related diseases (e.g., osteoporosis, trauma fractures, removal of tumours, etc.) challenges researchers to provide new therapeutic solutions to prevent the onset of osteopathy, and to develop bone grafts to treat these ailments. Tissue engineering—and bone tissue engineering in particular—presents itself as a most promising alternative solution to the current bone grafting approaches [10]
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