Structure and Properties of Permeable Highly Porous Glass Ceramics for Orthopedics and Traumatology

Abstract

Highly porous glass ceramics based on biogenic hydroxyapatite (50, 60, 66,7 and 70 wt.%) and glass of the SiO₂–Na₂O–CaO system have been prepared using a replication method of the polymer template structure at 900 °C. It has been established that during sintering of the samples the hydroxyapatite decomposes, which involves the formation of glass-ceramics containing phases of renanit NaCaPO₄, calcium phosphate silicate Ca₅(PO₄)₂SiO₄, calcium pyrophosphate Са₂Р₂О₇, pectolite NaCa₂Si₃O₈(OH) and hydroxyapatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃(OH). The phase ratio in the prepared materials depends on the initial ratio of BHA/glass. It is shown that all materials have open porous structure with a total porosity of 78–85%, which increases with content of biogenic hydroxyapatite in the initial composition. Prepared glass ceramics are resorptive, satisfy structural and mechanical requirements for highly porous implant materials and can be promising for filling bone defects in orthopedics and traumatology.