title: Bioactive glass/ZrO2 composites for orthopaedic applications.
abstract: Binary biocomposites were realized by combining yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) with a bioactive glass matrix. Few works are available regarding composites containing zirconia and a relatively high content of glass because the resulting samples are usually biocompatible but not bioactive after thermal treatment. In the present research, the promising properties of the new BG_Ca-K glass, with its low tendency to crystallize and high apatite-forming ability, allowed us to sinter the composites at a relatively low temperature with excellent effects in terms of bioactivity. In addition, it was possible to benefit from the good mechanical behaviour of Y-TZP, thus obtaining samples with microhardness values that were among the highest reported in the literature. After a detailed analysis regarding the thermal behaviour of the composite powders, the sintered bodies were fully characterized by means of x-ray diffraction, SEM equipped with EDS, density measurements, volumetric shrinkage determination, mechanical testing and in vitro evaluation in a simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. According to the experimental results, the presence of Y-TZP improved the mechanical performance. Meanwhile, the BG_Ca-K glass, which mainly preserved its amorphous structure after sintering, provided the composites with a good apatite-forming ability in SBF.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bellucci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sola
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cannillo
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001826:Body Fluids; D004548:Elasticity; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000379:methods; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015019:Yttrium / Q000737:chemistry; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; C499362:yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia; D015019:Yttrium; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide