Effect of nickel oxide substitution on bioactivity and mechanical properties of bioactive glass

A small amount of nickel oxide is doped in bioglass ® ; system and it is replaced by silica. The use of 45S5 glass composition is one such material able to bond strongly to bone within 42 days. The 45S5 bioglass ® ; system develops a hydroxyl carbonate apatite (HCA) layer, which is chemically and crystallographically similar to mineral phase of bone. But it has low fracture toughness and mechanical weakness due to an amorphous glass network and it is not compatible for load-bearing applications. In the present work, the effect of addition of nickel oxide that annualizes the improvement in its mechanical strength and bioactivity is studied. Bioactivity of base glass and doped glass samples were tested through their HCA abilities by immersing them in simulated body fluid (SBF) for different days. The formation of HCA was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and pH measurement. Densities and mechanical properties of samples were also increased considerably by increasing the concentration of nickel oxide.