Derived Hench bioactive glass (BaG) containing boron (B) is explored in this work as it plays an important role in bone development and regeneration. B was also found to enhance BaG dissociation. However, it is only possible to incorporate a limited amount of B. To increase the amount of B in BaG, bioactive borosilicate glasses (BaG-Bx) were fabricated based on the use of the solution-gelation process (sol-gel). In this work, a high B content (20 wt.%) in BaG, respecting the conditions of bioactivity and biodegradability required by Hench, was achieved for the first time. The capability of BaG-Bx to form an apatite phase was assessed in vitro by immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). Then, the chemical structure and the morphological changes in the fabricated BaG-Bx (x = 0, 5, 10 and 20) were studied. The formation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) layer was observed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The presence of HAp layer was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Enhanced bioactivity and chemical stability of BaG-Bx were evaluated with an ion exchange study based on Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Results indicate that by increasing the concentration of B in BaG-Bx, the crystallization rate and the quality of the newly formed HAp layer on BaG-Bx surfaces can be improved. The presence of B also leads to enhanced degradation of BaGs in SBF. Accordingly, BAG-Bx can be used for bone regeneration, especially in children, because of its faster degradation as compared to B-free glass.
Keywords: boron; borosilicate bioactive glass; degradation; hydroxyapatite layer; physico-chemical characterizations.