Preparation and In-vitro Phase Characterization of BAG-S53P4 Glass-Ceramics using Microwave Energy Irradiation Approach

Abstract

In this work, S53P4 bioglass-ceramics (BGCs) were prepared by melt-quenching followed by sintering approach using microwave assisted energy irradiation. The batch material composed of 53% SiO₂, 23% Na₂O, and 20% CaO and 4% P₂O₅ (all in weight percent) was mixed thoroughly and charged inside alumina crucible. The crucible was then place inside microwave kiln box and put inside microwave oven for melting. The oven was powered and timer set. The melt required 40 minutes for completed melting at a temperature of about 1300^oC when read with thermocouple. The melt was then quenched rapidly in water to produce bioglass (BG) frits. The obtained BG frits was later powdered using pulverizer and pelletized by addition of binder (1% PVA solution) followed by sintering at temperature 800 – 1050^oC to obtain BGCs. The samples were then immersed in biological fluids (Na-PBS and Tris-HCl) for 6 hours to determine their in-vitro bioactivity and hydroxyapatite (HAP) formation and afterward characterized. The hardness result showed significant improvement as temperature increase while the bulk density increase with decrease in porosity for the BGCs. All the samples showed good HAP formation in the biological fluids as indicated by the XRD after immersion in biological fluids. However, BG showed better HAP peaks compared with BGCs. The results showed sintering temperature have good impact on the BGCs tested properties while not impairing their in-vitro bioactivity.