Influence of thermal treatment on the structure and in vitro bioactivity of sol-gel prepared CaO-SiO2-P2O5 glass-ceramics

Nowadays there is a substantial practical interest in the in vitro bioactivity of calcium silicate phosphate (CSP) glass-ceramics and carbonate apatite (CO3HA) formation on their surfaces after in vitro test in simulated body fluid (SBF). The main purpose of the presented article is the evaluation of the chemical composition of the gel with nominal composition 70.59 CaO:28.23 SiO2:1.18 P2O5 (mol.%) on the structure, crystallization behaviour and in vitro bioactivity in SBF solution for 14 and 28 days. The prepared glass-ceramics have been synthesized via a polystep sol-gel method. The structure of the obtaining samples was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). After thermal treatment of the samples XRD confirmed the presence of ?-Ca2SiO4 and Ca15(PO4)2(SiO4)6, and indicated that at 1500?C Ca15(PO4)2(SiO4)6 becomes predominant phase. FTIR revealed the presence of all characteristics bands for calcium silicate phosphate (CSP) bonds. SEM monitors the presence of particles with different morphology. After in vitro test in SBF, FTIR depicted that B-type carbonate containing hydroxyapatite (CO3HA) is preferentially formed on the immersed glass-ceramics. SEMof the precipitated layers showed the presence of HA spheres. The changes in SBF solution after soaking the samples were recorded by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).