title: Preparation and characterization of a novel willemite bioceramic.
abstract: Willemite (Zn(2)SiO(4)) ceramics were prepared by sintering the willemite green compacts. The effects of sintering temperature on the linear shrinkage, porosity and mechanical strength of the ceramics were examined. With the sintering temperature increased, the linear shrinkage of the ceramics increased and the porosity decreased. When sintered at 1,300 degrees C, willemite ceramics showed mechanical properties of the same order of magnitude as values for human cortical bone, as measured by bending strength (91.2 +/- 4.2 MPa) and Young's modulus (37.5 +/- 1.5 GPa). In addition, the adhesion and proliferation of rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) on willemite ceramics was investigated. The results showed that the ceramics supported cell adhesion and stimulated the proliferation. All these findings suggest that willemite ceramics possess suitable mechanical properties and favorable biocompatibility and might be a promising biomaterial for bone implant applications.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Meili
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wanyin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000502:physiology; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002516:Ceramics / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017601:Oxygen Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D011817:Rabbits; D017640:Silicates / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000502:physiology; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D017601:Oxygen Compounds; D017640:Silicates; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D015032:Zinc; C029500:zinc silicate