Predictive mass-transport kinetics in phase-programmed silicate glass-ceramics for controlled microenvironmental...

The temporal regulation of local microenvironments is a critical challenge in bone tissue engineering. Conventional silicate-based bioceramics frequently exhibit rapid hydrolytic degradation, leading to localized alkaline shifts that compromise osteoblast viability. In this study, we propose a predictive approach for regulating dissolution through thermal phase partitioning in aerosol-derived calcium-magnesium-silicate matrices. By systematically modulating the ratio of the amorphous glass network to crystalline lattices via sintering (700 °C-1100 °C), degradation rates were controlled. Longitudinal immersion data revealed a phase-dependent divergence in mass-transport phenomena. Fitting the dissolution data to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model differentiated a rapid, quasi-Fickian dissolution in amorphous-rich variants (n = 0.25) from a diffusion-governed mechanism in highly crystalline matrices (n = 0.58). This diffusion-mediated pathway resulted in a controlled mass loss of 2.59% over 21 days. Consequently, the localized interfacial pH was maintained within a physiological range (7.4-8.0), suppressing alkaline-induced cytotoxicity and sustaining MC3T3-E1 metabolic activity (≈300%). Deciphering the dissolution kinetics of these matrices establishes a quantitative, predictive framework that enables a priori estimation of degradation profiles based solely on thermal processing history and phase composition.