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A hundred times faster: Novel, rapid sol‐gel synthesis of bio‐glass nanopowders (Si‐Na‐Ca‐P system, Ca:P = 1.67) without aging
Author(s) -
BenArfa Basam A. E.,
Miranda Salvado Isabel M.,
Ferreira José M. F.,
Pullar Robert C.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of applied glass science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.383
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 2041-1294
pISSN - 2041-1286
DOI - 10.1111/ijag.12255
Subject(s) - materials science , sol gel , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , polymerization , chemical engineering , silica glass , bioactive glass , nanotechnology , composite material , polymer , engineering
Synthesis of sol‐gel glass with incorporation of Na 2 O is extremely difficult, as such glasses have a great tendency to crystallize. Slow drying and aging over several days or weeks is usually required in sol‐gel preparation procedures. This work reports a fast, novel route for the synthesis of bioglass powders in a considerably shortened period of 1 h. A comparative study of sol‐gel derived glasses made by this novel route using rotary evaporator drying, and a conventional route using oven drying and aging, revealed that the two methods produce stabilized (devitrified) bio‐glasses with virtually identical behavior and properties. Indeed, the rapidly dried powder exhibited slightly enhanced properties that should result in improved bioactivity. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy was used to understand the structures of the synthesized powders, and MAS ‐ NMR was used to look at the degree of polymerization. This innovative, rapid route was successfully demonstrated to produce glass and devitrified glass nanopowders more than one hundred times quicker than the quickest reported standard drying methods.