Bioactivity potential of calcium alumino-silicate glasses and glass–ceramics containing nitrogen and fluorine

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2014-07, Vol.49 (13), p.4590-4594
• Main Authors: Hanifi, A. R., Crowley, C. M., Pomeroy, M. J., Hampshire, Stuart
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminosilicates; Aluminum; Aluminum silicates; Biochemistry; Biocompatibility; Biological activity; Biomedical materials; Body fluids; Calcium; Calcium aluminate; Calcium aluminum silicates; Calcium phosphate; Calcium phosphates; Ceramic materials; Ceramics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Deposition; Fluorides; Fluorine; Gehlenite; Glass; Glass ceramics; In vitro methods and tests; Materials Science; Phosphates; Polymer Sciences; Silicates; Solid Mechanics; Surgical implants; Wollastonite
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-014-8159-6

Calcium alumino-silicate glasses of general composition (in eq.%) 28Ca:57Si:15Al:[100 − ( x  +  y )]O: x N: y F ( x  = 0 or 20 and y  = 0, 3 or 5) and their glass–ceramic counterparts were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 ± 0.5 °C for 28 days to assess their potential bioactivity. The glasses showed no Ca release or surface calcium phosphate deposition due to their high network connectivities (>2.55). The glass–ceramics all showed potential bioactivity, as the SBF became enriched in Ca and calcium phosphate deposits formed on their surfaces. This was a result of Ca release from crystalline phases (predominantly wollastonite in the case of CaSiAlOF glass–ceramics and gehlenite in the case of CaSiAlONF glass–ceramics). No aluminium was leached from the glass–ceramics into the SBF, due to its pH always exceeding 7.0.