Novel sol-gel bioactive fibers.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Ceramic Engineering

Background:

• Sol-gel processing is a versatile technique for synthesizing advanced materials.
• Bioactive materials are crucial for bone regeneration and tissue engineering.
• Controlling fiber morphology and properties is key to their application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To produce bioactive fibers via sol-gel processing.
• To investigate the influence of thermal treatment on fiber characteristics.
• To evaluate the in vitro bioactivity of the synthesized fibers.

Main Methods:

• Sol-gel method using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), phosphorous alkoxide, and calcium sources.
• Fiber extrusion and air-spraying for different fiber morphologies.
• Thermal treatments at 600, 700, and 900°C.
• Characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).

Main Results:

• Continuous fibers (10 µm diameter) and discontinuous fibers/mats were successfully produced.
• Thermal treatment influenced fiber structure and surface area (e.g., 0 m²/gm at 900°C).
• All synthesized fibers, continuous and discontinuous, showed in vitro bioactivity in simulated body fluid.

Conclusions:

• Sol-gel processing is effective for fabricating bioactive fibers.
• The synthesized fibers possess in vitro bioactivity, indicating potential for biomedical uses.
• Further research can optimize thermal treatments for desired surface properties and bioactivity.