Bioactive glass 58S prepared using an innovation sol-gel process

A 58S bioglass with a composition in the ternary system 58SiO(2)-33CaO-9P(2)O(5) (wt.%) was prepared by an innovation sol-gel process in which a small amount of ammonia was used to facilitate the condensation reactions within an acidic solution prepared by tetraethyl orthosilicate, triethyl phosphate and calcium nitrate tetrahydrate. The properties of synthetic glass were investigated by several techniques. The amorphous nature and high specific surface area (99.1 m(2)/g) of the obtained glass were confirmed by using X-ray diffraction and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption techniques, respectively. In vitro experiments were performed by soaking glass samples in the simulated body fluid (SBF). The XRD patterns and SEM images confirmed the bioactivity of the synthesized bioglass by formation of a dense and visible hydroxyapatite layer on its surface after 2 days of in vitro assays. The ICP-OES data illustrated the ion exchange behaviours between the bioglass 58S and the SBF solution.