Sol Gel Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluation of Apatite Forming Ability of Silica-Based Composite Glass in SBF

In this study, xerogel glass based on SiO-CaO-PO4 was synthesized by a low temperature acid catalysed sol-gel route. The in vitro evaluation of apatite forming ability for the glass was conducted in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution as the glasses were immersed for duration of 1, 7, 24 hours and 7 days. The XRD analysis showed that the glass formed semi-crystalline structure when sintered at 1000oC and consisted of Ca2O7P2 and Ca2O4Si phases. Image captured using FESEM showed the apatite-like structures were eventually formed on the glass top surface in small numbers after the glass immersed in SBF for only an hour. The numbers of the apatite structures were continuously grown with the increase period of immersion time. The apatite structure mostly covered on top of the glass surface after 24 hours of immersion and continuously growth into bone-like apatite structure when immersed for 7 days in the SBF. The apatite layer formed on the surface of the glass was confirmed as crystalline structure of hydroxyl-carbonate-apatite (HCA) as revealed by the complimentary results of EDS, XRD and FTIR analysis.