Development of a glass reinforced hydroxyapatite with enhanced mechanical properties. The effect of glass composition on mechanical properties and its relationship to phase changes

Effect of Thermal Treatments and Ion Substitution on Sintering and Crystallization of Bioactive Glasses: A Review

Bioactive glasses (BGs) are promising materials for bone regeneration due to their ability to bond with living bone tissue. However, thermal stability and mechanical properties of BGs need improvement for better clinical performance. In this paper, we present an overview of the influence of different ions on the sintering and crystallization of BGs. Specifically, this review focuses on the impact of thermal treatments on the crystallization of 45S5 and other significant BG compositions. Potential applications of these thermally treated BGs, such as scaffolds, BG-based composites, and thermally sprayed coatings, are explored. Moreover, the substitution of ions has been investigated as a method to enhance the thermal properties of BGs. Notably, zinc, potassium, and strontium have been studied extensively and have demonstrated promising effects on both the thermal and the mechanical properties of BGs. However, it is important to note that research on ion inclusion in BGs is still in its early stages, and further investigation is necessary to fully comprehend the effects of different ions on sintering and crystallization. Therefore, future studies should focus on optimizing the ion substitution method to improve the thermal, mechanical, and even biological properties of BGs, thereby enhancing their potential for various biomedical applications.

Investigating the effect of SiO2-TiO 2-CaO-Na 2O-ZnO bioactive glass doped hydroxyapatite: characterisation and structural evaluation

The effects of increasing bioactive glass additions, SiO2-TiO2-CaO-Na2O-ZnO up to 25 wt% in increments of 5 wt%, on the physical and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) sintered at 900, 1000, 1100 and 1200 °C for 2 h was investigated. Increasing both the glass content and the temperature resulted in increased HA decomposition. This resulted in the formation of a number of bioactive phases. However the presence of the liquidus glass phase did not result in increased densification levels. At 1000 and 1100 °C the additions of 5 wt% glass resulted in a decrease in density which never recovered with increasing glass content. At 1200 °C a cyclic pattern resulted from increasing glass content. There was no direct relationship between strength and density with all samples experiencing no change or a decrease in strength with increasing glass content. Weibull statistics displayed no pattern with increasing glass content.

Synthesis and Characterization of Sol-Gel Derived Hydroxyapatite-Bioglass Composite Nanopowders for Biomedical Applications

The main purpose of this study is to prepare and characterize hydroxyapatite (HA)–10%wt bioglass (BG) composite nanopowders and its bioactivity. Composites of hydroxyapatite with synthesized bioglass are prepared at various temperatures. Suitable calcination temperature is chosen by evaluating of the phase composition. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques are utilized to characterize the prepared nanopowders. The bioactivity of the prepared composite samples is evaluated in an in vitro study by immersion of samples in simulated body fluid (SBF) for predicted time. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) are used for evaluation of apatite formation and the bioactivity properties. Results show that HA-BG composite nanopowders are successfully prepared without any decomposition of hydroxyapatite. The suitable temperature for calcination is 600°C and the particle size of hydroxyapatite is about 40-70 nm. The apatite phase forms after 14 days immersing of the samples in SBF. It could be concluded that this process can be used to synthesize HA-BG composite nanopowders with improved bioactivity which is much needed for hard tissue repair and biomedical applications.

Synthesis of novel tricalcium phosphate-bioactive glass composite and functionalization with rhBMP-2

A functionalization is required for calcium phosphate-based bone substitute materials to achieve an entire bone remodeling. In this study it was hypothesized that a tailored composite of tricalcium phosphate and a bioactive glass can be loaded sufficiently with rhBMP-2 for functionalization. A composite of 40 wt% tricalcium phosphate and 60 wt% bioactive glass resulted in two crystalline phases, wollastonite and rhenanite after sintering. SEM analysis of the composite's surface revealed a spongious bone-like morphology after treatment with different acids. RhBMP-2 was immobilized non-covalently by treating with chrome sulfuric acid (CSA) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) and covalently by treating with CSA/APS, and additionally with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole. It was proved that samples containing non-covalently immobilized rhBMP-2 on the surface exhibit significant biological activity in contrast to the samples with covalently bound protein on the surface. We conclude that a tailored composite of tricalcium phosphate and bioactive glass can be loaded sufficiently with BMP-2.

Development of beta-tricalcium phosphate/sol-gel derived bioactive glass composites: physical, mechanical, and in vitro biological evaluations

In this study, composites of beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) and sol gel derived bioactive glass (10, 25, and 40 wt %) based on the SiO(2)-CaO-MgO-P(2)O(5) system were prepared and sintered at 1000-1200 degrees C. The mechanical properties were investigated by measuring bending strength, Vickers hardness and fracture toughness. Structural properties were evaluated by XRD and SEM analysis, and the biological properties were studied by soaking the samples in simulated body fluid (SBF) and in contact with osteoblastic cell for viability assay. When the samples were sintered at 1200 degrees C, the mechanical strength increased, up to 34%, by increasing the amount of bioactive glass phase. In contrast, it decreased when the samples were sintered at 1000 and 1100 degrees C. The results showed that the strength could be improved up to 56% when more firing period was used. Incorporation of the bioactive glass phase into beta-TCP increased the microhardness but did not significantly change the fracture toughness. Phase analysis revealed that beta-TCP or magnesium-substituted beta-TCP was the main crystalline phase of the composites beside some calcium silicate crystallized in the bioactive glass phase. Plenty precipitation of calcium phosphate layer onto the surfaces of the beta-TCP/bioactive glass composites soaked in SBF indicated superior bioactivity of these materials compared to pure beta-TCP without any precipitation. The ability of beta-TCP/bioactive glass composites to support the growth of human osteoblastic cells was considerably better than that of pure beta-TCP. These results may be used to indicate which compositions and processing conditions can provide appropriate materials for hard tissue regeneration.

Spectroscopic investigations on the synthesis of nano-hydroxyapatite from calcined eggshell by hydrothermal method using cationic surfactant as template

The present work reports the successful synthesis of nano-hydroxyapatite, Ca(10)(PO(4))(6)(OH)(2) (denoted HAP) from calcined eggshell by hydrothermal method using cationic surfactant (CTAB) as regulator of nucleation and crystal growth. The reaction involved in the synthesis was studied elaborately. The influence of reaction temperature, ageing time and CTAB concentration on the synthesis of nano-HAP are also studied in addition to the effect of sintering temperature on the crystal growth. Spectral characterization involving Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were performed for functional group analysis and phase identification of the materials, respectively. Thermal stability of nano-HAP was investigated by thermal analysis (TG/DTA). The physical characteristics, such as morphology and particle size of the synthesized nano-HAP were assessed thoroughly by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The results have revealed that well-crystallized nano-HAP was synthesized by hydrothermal treatment at 160 degrees C for 10 h with the addition of CTAB at critical micelle concentration (CMC). It was also found that the synthesized nano-HAP was thermally stable up to 1100 degrees C.

Composite bone substitute materials based on beta-tricalcium phosphate and magnesium-containing sol-gel derived bioactive glass

In the present study, bioceramic composites with improved mechanical and biological properties were synthesized by sintering mixtures of beta-tricalcium phosphate and SiO(2)-CaO-MgO-P(2)O(5) sol-gel derived bioactive glass at 1000-1200 degrees C. The physical, mechanical, structural and biological properties of the composites were evaluated by appropriate experiments such as microhardness, bending strength, XRD, SEM and MTT. The results showed that 1000 and 1100 degrees C were not appropriate temperatures for sintering the composites and in contrast, the microhardness, bending strength and bulk density significantly increased by increasing in quantity of bioglass phase when the samples were sintered at 1200 degrees C. No significant difference was found between the fracture toughness of the composites and pure beta-tricalcium phosphate. beta-tricalcium phosphate was structurally stable up to 1200 degrees C and did not transform to its alpha form even in the presence of the bioglass phase but migration of magnesium cations from the glass composition into its lattice structure was found by right-shift in XRD patterns, especially when the composite contained higher amount of bioglass component. Calcium silicate was also crystallized in the composition of the composites, which was more detectable in higher sintering temperatures. The results of the MTT test showed that proliferation of human osteosarcoma cells on the composites was considerably better than that of pure beta-TCP.

Sintered Hydroxyapatite / Bioactive Glass Composites: Thermal Analysis and Bioactivity

Three-dimensionally ordered materials containing hydroxyapatite (HAp) as well as Bioglass® (BG) have been prepared in form of pellets and have been examined the effects of BG addition -in combination with a heat treatment process- on biological properties of composite HAp/BG. The investigation of the bioactive behavior of sintered and unheated biphasic mixtures and the deviations from pure HAp was performed by FTIR spectroscopy and Differential Thermal Analysis. It was observed the appearance of new phases on sintered composite pellets, while a faster biological HAp layer formation was detected, on the composite unheated pellets’ surface than on pure HAp and sintered composite pellets, currently leading to increased bioactivity.

Sexual dimorphism of growth plate prehypertrophic and hypertrophic chondrocytes in response to testosterone requires metabolism to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by steroid 5-alpha reductase type 1

Rat costochondral growth plate chondrocytes exhibit sex-specific and cell maturation dependent responses to testosterone. Only male cells respond to testosterone, although testosterone receptors are present in both male and female cells, suggesting other mechanisms are involved. We examined the hypothesis that the sex-specific response of rat costochondral cartilage cells to testosterone requires further metabolism of the hormone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Resting zone (RC) and growth zone (GC, prehypertrophic and upper hypertrophic zones) chondrocytes from male and female Sabra strain rats exhibited sex-specific responses to testosterone and DHT: only male cells were responsive. Testosterone and DHT treatment for 24 h caused a comparable dose-dependent increase in [3H]-thymidine incorporation in quiescent preconfluent cultures of male GC cells, and a comparable increase in alkaline phosphatase specific activity in confluent cultures. RC cells responded in a differential manner to testosterone and DHT. Testosterone decreased DNA synthesis in male RC cells but DHT had no effect and alkaline phosphatase specific activity of male RC cells was unaffected by either hormone. Inhibition of steroid 5alpha-reductase activity with finasteride (1, 5, or 10 microg/ml), reduced the response of male GC cells to testosterone in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that metabolism to DHT was required. RT-PCR showed that both male and female cells expressed mRNAs for steroid 5alpha-reductase type 1 but lacked mRNAs for the type 2 form of the enzyme. Male cells also exhibited 5alpha-reductase activity but activity of this enzyme was undetectable in female cells. These observations show that sex-specific responses of rat growth zone chondrocytes to testosterone requires the further metabolism of the hormone to DHT and that the effect of DHT in the male growth plate is maturation-state dependent. Failure of female chondrocytes to respond to testosterone may reflect differences in testosterone metabolism, since these cells possess greater ability to aromatize the hormone to estradiol.

Bioactive and biocompatible pieces of HA/sol-gel glass mixtures obtained by the gel-casting method

Hydroxyapatite (HA)/glass mixtures have shown a faster bioactive behaviour than HA itself. On the other hand, the gel-casting method is a simple and reproducible colloidal method to produce ceramic pieces with complex shapes. In this work, pieces of HA/glass mixtures were prepared by the gel-casting method. A study for obtaining concentrated slurries of these mixtures is reported; the bioactivity and biocompatibility of the obtained pieces have been studied also. The influence of pH, dispersant concentration, the content and milling of glass, and the way to prepare the suspensions were investigated. The lowest viscosity and better rheological properties were achieved with the lowest glass content, when the glass was added after the dispersion of the HA powder and when the glass was not milled after calcination. Fluid suspensions with a high solid content (50 vol.%) could be prepared and well-shaped pieces were obtained from these slurries. These pieces showed in vitro bioactive behavior in simulated body fluid; additionally, the proliferation and spreading assays with osteoblastic cells (HOS) showed that the pieces are biocompatible. The results obtained indicate that the gel-casting of HA/glass mixtures produces bioactive and biocompatible pieces with the required shapes. Therefore, these materials could be good candidates for clinical applications and scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Glass reinforced hydroxyapatite for hard tissue surgery--part 1: Mechanical properties

Commercial hydroxyapatite (HA) was reinforced by adding 2.5 and 5 wt% of a Na2O-CaO-P2O5 glass and then sintered. The resulting composites have chemical compositions that are similar to the inorganic constituent of the mineral part of bone, and are closely related to the trace elements that are present, in this case Na. X-ray diffraction showed no decomposition of HA to secondary phases; however, the glass reinforced-HA composites contained a HA phase and variable amounts of tricalcium phosphate phase, depending on the sintering temperature and the amount of glass added. The HA-composite material exhibited higher flexural strength overall compared to sintered HA. The presence of secondary phases beta- and alpha-tricalcium phosphate in the microstructure of the composites has a major influence on the mechanical properties. Additionally, the presence of porosity also has a bearing on the mechanical properties of the material.

Glass reinforced hydroxyapatite for hard tissue surgery--part II: in vitro evaluation of bone cell growth and function

Hydroxyapatite (HA)-based materials are considered to be potentially useful as bone implant materials, particularly those reinforced with glass to improve mechanical strength. However, the precise effects of glass-reinforced HA on the growth and functions of bone cells are still unclear. The present study has therefore examined the response of human osteoblast-like cells to HA and HA reinforced with two different proportions of glass, namely 2.5% and 5%. All materials enabled the cells to attach and proliferate during 7 days in culture and, although the growth was less than on control plastic surfaces, there was no deleterious effect of the 5% glass composite compared with HA alone. Flow cytometry analysis showed that there was no effect on cell size and granularity, but there were marked and highly selective changes in the expression of certain connective tissue proteins. Thus, while bone sialoprotein and osteonectin were down-regulated on HA alone, the expression of these antigens was relatively enhanced on the composite materials, and collagen type I was also up-regulated on the glass-reinforced HA. Thus, modulation of the glass composition of HA materials could be used to produce not only improved mechanical strength, but also enhanced biocompatibility.

Structure and immersion behavior of plasma-sprayed apatite-matrix coatings

The microstructure and properties of a series of plasma-sprayed coatings from sinter-granulated powders fabricated from SiO2, CaO, P2O5 and Na2O-containing HA composite powders on Ti-6Al-4V substrate were reported. The immersion behavior of these coatings in a simulated body fluid (SBF) was also investigated. The results showed that sinter-granulated apatite-matrix powders were irregularly shaped and appeared quite similar. XRD patterns showed that during fabrication of the powders, P2O5 and SiO2 enhanced the decomposition of HA structure, while CaO and Na2O did not. Reasonably high bond strengths (45-50 MPa) were obtained from all coatings. The plasma spray process itself enhanced the decomposition of apatite and chemical reactions among different phases. When immersed in SBF, the intensities of such phases as alpha- and beta-TCP in all coatings decreased with immersion time and an apatite precipitation took place on all coating surfaces. The immersed SiO2- and CaO-containing HA (HSC) coating had the highest rate of apatite precipitation among all coatings. The variations in calcium ion concentration in simulated body fluid indicated that the HSC-immersed solution reached its maximal Ca concentration the earliest, while the HSCP (HA, SiO2, CaO and P2O5)-immersed solution reached its maximum the latest.

Analysis of in vitro reaction layers formed on Bioglass using thin-film X-ray diffraction and ATR-FTIR microspectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thin-film X-ray diffraction (TF-XRD) techniques were used to analyze the inorganic carbonate apatite (CA) layer developed on a bioactive glass (45S5 type Bioglass) in an in vitro environment. The C-O and P-O vibrational modes appeared on the bioactive glass surface following immersion in the simulated body fluid solution. Initially, the C-O and P-O peaks increased with immersion time as crystallization of CA phase progressed. The TF-XRD confirmed that the deposited layer was apatite, crystallographically. Furthermore, evidence of preferred orientation in the 001 direction was seen, indicated by very strong 002 reflection. With time, the crystal growth became more random and the intensity of the 002 reflection decreased.

Glass-reinforced hydroxyapatite: a comprehensive study of the effect of glass composition on the crystallography of the composite

Glass-reinforced HA composites were produced using phosphate-based glasses, and a structure refinement was carried out to determine the effect of the glass on the structure of the residual HA. Quantitative phase analysis showed that the glass causes some of the HA to decompose to beta-TCP and, at higher temperatures, to alpha-TCP. It also was indicated that when three phases were present, the formation of the alpha-TCP arose from decomposition of the beta-TCP and not from further decomposition of HA to alpha-TCP. The unit cell dimensions showed a decrease in the a axis and an increase in the c axis, giving an overall unit cell decrease in volume. There also was a significant effect based on the amount of glass added. The changes found in the composite containing the 4 wt% glass were attributed to the loss of carbonate and loss of hydroxyl. This was expected to cause shrinkage in the unit cell; however this was not seen, and therefore the major changes in the unit cell were attributed to the ions from the glass taking an interstitial role in the HA structure, thus not allowing the unit cell to shrink as much as expected.

Bending strength of synthetic OH-carbonated hydroxyapatite single crystals

Although hydroxyapatite (HAP) is applied to medical implants because of its biocompatibility, no data on mechanical strength of HAP single crystals were yet available, partly due to the difficulty in obtaining sufficiently large single crystals. In the present study the bending strength of OH-carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHAP) single crystals containing carbonate of 0.09 CO2 wt % prepared hydrothermally was determined in three-point bending tests. The three-point bending tests were performed using a modified ultra micro-hardness tester with a span of 380 micrograms and a bending direction of <210>. The CHAP single crystals were broken in air, water, and air after immersion in alpha minimum essential medium (alpha MEM) + 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 3 weeks. The average bending strength of the CHAP single crystals was 468 +/- 205, 361 +/- 199 and 501 +/- 212 MPa in air, water, and air after immersion in alpha MEM + 10% FBS, respectively. In all cases the maximum strength at each crystal thickness value decreased in inverse proportion to the thickness.

Characterization of apatite layer formation on P2O5-CaO, P2O5-CaO-Na2O, and P2O5-CaO-Na2O-Al2O3 glass hydroxyapatite composites

P2O5-based glass hydroxyapatite (HA) composites denoted HA-2 oxide, HA-3 oxide, and HA-4-oxide, were immersed in Hank's balanced salt solution for a period of 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks at 37 degrees C in nonagitated condition for in vitro evaluation. A surface layer was precipitated on the composites that was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelecton spectroscopy, and thin film X-ray diffractometry (TF-XRD). SEM micrographs showed complete coverage of the composite surface by crystallites after immersion of 1 week in the solution, which grew thicker with respect to immersion time. The binding energies measured by XPS indicated apatite formation and the presence of carbonate on the composite surface, showing the newly formed layer was a carbonated apatite. Confirmation of the formed apatite layer was obtained by TF-XRD.

Sintering effects in a glass reinforced hydroxyapatite

Glass was incorporated into hydroxyapatite (HA) to act as a sintering aid in order to improve the mechanical properties. The glass was added at 2 and 4 wt% and the powders compacted uniaxially. The compacts were sintered at a variety of temperatures (1200, 1250, 1300 and 1350 degrees C) and the effects of the glass addition and the firing temperature were studied to determine their effects on the sintering process. It was found that the glass promoted some phase changes, related to the amount of glass added to the composite. At 1200 and 1250 degrees C, some beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) was found with the residual being HA. However, at 1300 and 1350 degrees C, both beta- and alpha-TCP were formed. The 4 wt% addition, as expected, promoted higher levels of secondary phases in the composite. The flexural bend strength (FBS) showed high values and also significant differences dependent on the amount of glass added. A 2 wt% addition gave a gradual increase in FBS with temperature. With a 4 wt% addition there was an increase in FBS, but above 1300 degrees C there was a rapid decrease. These effects were mirrored in the linear shrinkage. Both the linear shrinkage and the FBS results were attributed to both the phase changes occurring and also change in grain size with increasing firing temperature.