In vitro bioactivity of melt-derived glass 46S6 doped with magnesium

Melt-derived glasses in the system SiO(2)-CaO-Na(2)O-P(2)O(5) were synthesized pure or doped with magnesium from 0.4 to 1.2 wt %, for applications as biomaterials in bony surgery. This chemical element has been chosen because of its high physiological interest. Its introduction for different contents in melt derived glasses has never been studied. The bioactivity of glasses was assessed by immersion of the samples in the simulated body fluid solution. Changes in glass surface morphology and composition after immersion were evaluated by several physico-chemical techniques. The aim of this work was to characterize the formation of the apatite-like layer at the glass surface, after in vitro assays and to evaluate the kinetic reaction between the glass and the surrounding synthetic fluids. Results indicate that magnesium influences the formation and the evolution of the newly formed layers: (1) it promotes the dissolution of the silica network, (2) it increases the thickness of the silica gel layer formed conventionally prior to the apatite-like layer, and (3) it slows down the crystallization of the apatite layer. However, the intensity of these effects depends on the content of magnesium introduced in the glass matrix.