Bioactive ceramic powder prepared using a new sol-gel process

Bioactive ceramic powder containing 45% SiO2, 24.5% CaO, 24.5% Na2O and 6% P2O5 (wt.%) was synthesized using a new sol-gel process. The preparedmaterial was investigated by several physico-chemical methods. The X-ray diffraction showed the presence of two crystalline phases, Na6Ca3Si6O18 and NaCaPO4. The high specific surface area (47m2/g) and a mesoporous structure with the average pore size of 2.6 nm were confirmed using low-temperature nitrogen adsorption technique. In vitro experiments were carried out by soaking the powder sample in simulated body fluid (SBF) at different times. XRD, FTIR and SEM coupled with EDS were used for in vitro evaluation of bioactivity. The obtained results confirmed that the ceramic powder can be used as biomaterial for bone tissue engineering due to its high bioactivity expressed by the rapid formation of a biological carbonated hydroxyapatite layer on its surface after in vitro assay