Study of the Bioactive Behavior of Thermally Treated Modified 58S Bioactive Glass

Thermal treatment of bioactive glasses can affect their microstructure and thus their bioactivity. The aim of this study was the characterization of the thermally treated sol-gel-derived bioactive glass 58S at characteristic temperatures and the dependence of its bioactive behavior on the specific thermal treatment. The thermal behavior of the bioactive glass was studied by thermal analysis (TG/DTA). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) were used for the characterization of the bioactive glass. The bioactive behavior in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) was examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDS) and FTIR. The major crystal phases after thermal treatment were Calcium Silicates, Wollastonite and Pseudowollastonite, while all thermally treated samples developed apatite after 48 hours in SBF. A slight enhancement of bioactivity was observed for the samples heated at the temperature range 910-970oC.