Exploring the physicomechanical properties and biocompatibility traits of CuO Substituted 45S5 bioactive glass through in-vitro analysis

While clinically approved, 45S5 bioactive glass possesses limitations in terms of mechanical and biological properties for broader biomedical applications. To address this, we have synthesized 45S5 bioactive glass with partial substitution of CuO for CaO using the melt-quench technique. We conducted extensive characterization using XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), and UTM (Universal Testing Machine), in-vitro simulated body fluid (SBF) studies, MTT (3-(4,5dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), antibacterial and hemolysis assays. Our results demonstrate that CuO-substituted glasses exhibit enhanced bioactivity, as evidenced by the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer on their surface after immersion in SBF, confirmed from XRD, FTIR and SEM. Additionally, MTT assay with MG-63 cells reveals improved cell proliferation, particularly with 1.5 mol% of CuO addition. Furthermore, Cu_2 to Cu_4 compositions demonstrate effective inhibition of E. coli (Escherichia coli) colonization. The substitution of CuO also leads to significant improvements in the mechanical properties of these bioactive glasses. The density of 45S5 glass increases from 2.72 to 2.86 g/cc, compressive strength from 53 to 64 MPa and young's modulus from 76.74 to 82.21 GPa after the substitution of copper from 0.0 to 2.5 mol%, respectively. Partial substitution of CuO for CaO in 45S5 bioactive glass significantly enhances its physicomechanical properties and biocompatibility compared to the original 45S5 bioactive glass that can be used as implant materials for various biomedical applications.