Effects manufacturing method on surface mineralization of bioactive glasses
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Abstract
Amorphous bioactive glass powders are used as bone-filling materials in many medical applications. Bioactivity is achieved through ion exchange with bodily fluids, leading to surface apatite mineral formation – a necessity for tissue development. Traditional fabrication is by melt-casting and grinding, however sol-gel synthesis is another method which directly produces powders with higher specific surface area and potential for increased ion exchange rates. In this study sol-gel derived powders were manufactured and compared with melt-cast powders to determine the effects of crystallinity, composition, and specific surface area on apatite formation. Powders were immersed in simulated body fluid as a function of time and the evolution of apatite minerals was characterized. Apatite formation was most significantly affected by powder composition, followed by specific surface area; merely having sodium in the powder was more influential than altering the surface area and/or atomic structure, yet high specific surface area was found to enhance reactions on crystalline powders.