Citric Acid Catalyst-Assisted Bioactive Glass with Hydrogen Peroxide for In Vitro Bioactivity and Biodegradability Using Sol-Gel Method.

Abstract

In this study, carbon-free and completely soluble hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was utilized in place of conventional surfactants as a pore-forming agent. Citric acid was also used in low concentration for the hydrolysis reaction. A sol-gel method was used to prepare bioactive glass (BG) specimens of H₂O₂-untreated BG, 1M, 2M, and 3M H₂O₂-treated BGs. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm with the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method were used for analyzing the samples' phase, surface morphology, chemical composition, constituent composition, pore size, and specific surface area respectively. In vitro bioactivity, as well as biodegradability tests, was performed on samples by immersing them in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. According to the results, BG particles treated with 2 M H₂O₂ exhibited higher specific surface area (SSA), which is 189.55 cc/g, and better in vitro bioactivity and biodegradability.