Evaluation of a prepared sol-gel bioactive glass fiber-reinforced calcium phosphate cement

In this article 5-25 V% of a sol-gel bioglass fiber was incorporated into calcium phosphate bone cement to improve its mechanical properties. Compressive strength, work of fracture, elastic modulus and setting time of the cement were investigated as well as phase changes occurring during soaking the specimens in simulated body fluid (SBF). The cement microstructure was also observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that the compressive strength of the set cements without any fibers was 0.635 MPa which was optimally increased to 3.69 MPa by using 15% fibers and then decreased by further addition of the glass phase. In addition, both the work-of-fracture and elastic modulus of the cement were considerably increased when using the fibers in the cement composition. Setting time slightly decreased by using the fibers. A considerable content of the reactants in both fiber-free and fiber-containing cements were transformed to the apatite phase during soaking sample in SBF.