Utilizing Fe2O3 in phosphate-based glasses to enhance biocompatibility and gamma-ray absorption characteristics: A step towards understanding of Na2O/Fe2O3 translocation in P2O5–CaO–Na2O glass system

Abstract

In recent years, bioactive glasses have been used in several different contexts, from dental applications to FDA-approved bone augmentation treatments. We report the incorporation consequences of Fe2O3 into P2O5–CaO–Na2O glasses to enhance the biocompatibility and gamma-ray absorption characteristics for potential medical and dental application. Phosphate-based glasses with a composition of 50P2O5·30CaO·(20-x)Na2O.(x)Fe2O3 were prepared using the melt-quenching process; x varies from 0 to 5 mol% with 1 mol% incremental increase. The fundamental biological and physical properties such as cell viability, attachment, and gamma-ray absorption of these glasses were investigated. The number and spreading of human dental pulp stem cells and human fetal osteoblasts, indicated by the density of actin-stained cytoplasm, increased on glasses with more Fe2O3 content particularly for those with 4 and 5 mol%. Incorporation of Fe2O3 into the glass system provided a significant improvement in hDPSCs and hFOBs viability. The improved cell attachment and viability with increasing the Fe2O3 content could be attributed to the enhanced durability of glasses with the formation of more hydration resistant P–O–Fe bonds. The mass attenuation coefficient values of the 50P2O5·30CaO·15Na2O·5Fe2O3 glass with a 5% Fe2O3 contribution are found to be the highest over the whole investigated energy range. The half value layer values of the 50P2O5·30CaO·15Na2O·5Fe2O3 glass are the lowest and hence more favorable. It can be concluded that increasing the Fe2O3 mol% in the P2O5–CaO–Na2O glass system is a useful method for increasing the biocompatibility and gamma-ray attenuation characteristics of P2O5–CaO–Na2O bioactive glasses for medical and dental applications.