BIOACTIVITY OF APATITE–WOLLASTONITE GLASS-CERAMICS PRODUCED BY MELTING CASTING

Glass-ceramics containing only apatite and wollastonite crystals were produced in the system MgO-CaO-SiO2-P2O5-F by the melt casting process. The bioactivity of the glass-ceramics was determined by immersing the glass-ceramics in a simulated body fluid (SBF) and by assessing the resulting apatite formation on the free surface after various immersion durations. A 12-μm-thick apatite layer formed on the surface of the glass-ceramic containing only apatite crystals after 20 days immersion in SBF. However, the thickness of the apatite layer formed on the surface of the glass-ceramic containing apatite and wollastonite crystals was 1 μm. Results have shown that the bioactivity of glass-ceramic depends strongly on the type of crystal(s) developed during the glass-ceramic process and their proportion in the glassy matrix.