Factors affecting in vitro bioactivity of glasses

In this work we summarize the most important findings of the influence of glass composition, sample shape and fluid circulation on in vitro behavior of bioactive glasses in the system Na(2)O-K(2)O-MgO-CaO-B(2)O(3)-P(2)O(5)-SiO(2). The sample shapes included plates, particulates, powdered glasses, glass fibers and sintered cones with interconnected porosity. The in vitro bioactivity was measured as the changes observed in the immersion solution, SBF, and the formation of reaction layers on the samples at 4 to 168 h immersion. A lower surface area to volume ratio gave smaller changes on the ion concentrations and pH of the immersion solution but thicker reaction layers on the glass surfaces. In particulate systems with circulating fluid the pH gradients in SBF were lower but surface layers more even than in static systems. The influence of glass composition on reaction layer formation as suggested by glass plates correlated with the in vitro behavior of glass particulates larger than 250 mu m, porous cones and fibers when using similar SA/V ratio.