Biosilicate® Glass-Ceramic Foams From Refined Alkali Activation and Gel Casting

Biosilicate® glass-ceramics are among the most valid alternatives to 45S5 Bioglass. They combine a similar bioactivity and bioresorbability as with superior mechanical strength, owing crystallization of Na–Ca silicate phase. This may be experienced upon viscous flow sintering fine glass powders, thus configuring sinter-crystallization process. As is seldom complete, can also applied semicrystalline powders. The sintering/crystallization combination exploited for shaping highly porous bodies, used scaffolds bone tissue engineering, in form foams. present study aims at exploring gel-casting process, based on room temperature foaming powders suspended “weakly alkaline” (1 M NaOH) aqueous solution, followed by 1,000°C. gelation suspensions attributed formation hydrated compounds, later decomposed firing. Amorphous provided more intense than ones, promoted homogeneous foaming, stimulated substantial homogeneity foamed samples was assessed using micro-tomography further improved casting (“foam casting”) before setting.