Bioactivity of Hench Bioglass and Corresponding Glass-Ceramic and the Effect of Transition Metal Oxides

Glasses based on the Hench's bioglass doped with (0.1%) of one of the 3d-transition metals were prepared. Infrared absorption spectra of the prepared samples were measured. The prepared glassy samples were crystallized through controlled thermal treatments and the precipitated crystalline phases were identified by X-ray diffraction analysis. Infrared reflection spectroscopy was performed on the glassy and crystalline derivative samples before and after immersion in simulated body fluid for different time periods of 1 week, 2 weeks or 1 month. The main crystalline phase formed in the undoped and TM-doped samples are solid solutions of sodium calcium silicates (1Na.2Ca.3Si and 3Na.3Ca.6Si). Infrared reflectance spectra reveal the formation of the two layers of SiO2-gel and CaO-P2O5 and the transition metal ions seem to act as nucleating catalysts initiating the ease of formation of an apatite layer and hence promoting bioactivity in the doping level.