Structure and Physical Properties of Borosilicate as Potential Bioactive Glasses

Borosilicate bioactive glasses containing titanium dioxide were prepared and investigated. The corrosion behavior of samples was examined for all samples upon immersion in phosphate solution. The erosion of the outer surface and ion exchange processes of the glass with the surrounding solution were studied by measuring the weight loss. Results were compared with samples that do not contain titanium dioxide. The final result of the reaction is the precipitation of hydroxyapatite. Characterization of the glasses was carried out by FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) absorption spectra before and after immersion in phosphate solution. The different crystalline phases and crystallographic parameters were explored using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyzes and all indicate the precipitation of hydroxyapatite. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to observe the morphological changes of the surfaces upon immersion. The atomic ratio of the final result product was obtained by the energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX) unit attached to the SEM. Changes in pH of the leaching solution were measured and evaluated. All measurements confirm that the studied glass has a high degree of biological activity which makes it very suitable for the field of biomaterials and other various medical applications.