Synthesis, characterization, in vitro bioactivity and wettability of sol-gel-derived SiO2-CaO-P2O5 and SiO2-CaO-P2O5-Na2O bioglasses

Glasses in the ternary and quaternary system SiO2-CaO-P2O5 ; SiO2-CaO-P2O5-Na2O were prepared by means of a sol-gel route starting from tetraethyl orthosilicate, calcium nitrate, TEP, and sodium nitrate. The obtained glasses were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These materials were subjected to immersion studies in simulated body fluid (SBF), and have been subjected to water contact angle measurements. A comparative study on Na2O-containing (22Na) and Na2O-free bioactive glass ceramics (44C) indicated that Na2O could be an important constituent enabling achievement of an optimal combination of bioactivity and wettability