Preparation and properties of porous apatite-wollastonite bioactive glass-ceramic

The porous apatite-wollastonite bioactive glass-ceramic (AW-GG) was made from nano-precursor powders derived from sol-gel process, and shaped by dipping method with polymer foam. The physical-chemical properties, bioactivity and biocompatibility of the materials were studied by means of TG, XRD, SEM, TEM and so on. The bioactivity was investigated in simulated body fluid (SBF) and the biocompatibility was evaluated by co-culturing with marrow stromal cells (MSCs). The result shows that: the particle size of the AW precursor powders is 40 similar to 100nm; porous AW GC has three-dimensional pored structure with 300 similar to 500um macropores and 2 similar to 5um micropores; the materials possess high bioactivity and biocompatibility. Porous AW GC may therefore have great potential application as bone tissue engineering scaffold.