In Vitro Bioactivity Behavior of Some Borophosphate Glasses Containing Dopant of ZnO, CuO or SrO Together with their Glass-Ceramic Derivatives and their Antimicrobial Activity

Abstract

Glasses based on the soda lime borophosphate system together with samples doped with SrO, ZnO or CuO were prepared. Glass – ceramic derivatives were prepared by controlled thermal heat – treatment with two step regime. All the prepared glasses and glass – ceramics were structurally characterized before and after immersion in phosphate solution (0.05 M %) for four weeks. X-ray diffraction and SEM investigations of the glass – ceramics were carried out to identify the formed crystalline species together with the morphological surface textures. The changes of the surface textures of the glasses and glass – ceramics were examined by SEM after immersion in phosphate solution. The full morphological examinations indicate that the hydroxyapatite crystalline phase is assumed to be formed after immersion of the glasses and glass- ceramics in phosphate solution. The two most distinctive parameters justifying the bioactivity of the glass or glass – ceramic samples studied are the appearance of the two far – IR peaks at about 550 and 650 cm^{−1 1} in the deconvoluted spectra after immersion in phosphate solution together with the simultaneous appearance of the rounded or nodular –shaped microcrystals as revealed by SEM images. These two features are known to be promising indicator as confirming the bioactivity of the studied glasses and glass-ceramics. The variations of dopants added are found to induce different effects on the micro-organisms and copper ions are retaining the most important active therapeutic elements for antimicrobial results.