A thermodynamic discourse on the dissolution behavior of bioactive glasses

Abstract The interaction between bioactive glass and body fluid is crucial for the special properties of this material, therefore a large number of experimental data is available in literature. However, a frame for systematic interpretation of these results in terms of understanding the mechanisms at the interface between glass and body medium and the relation between glass composition and dissolution behavior is still missing. For two multicomponent bioactive glasses, 45S5 and 13-93, the Gibbs energies of the glassy material on one side and their aqueous system on the other side were calculated individually. The difference between solid material and aqueous system further constitutes the pH dependent Gibbs energy of hydration, ∆Ghydr. The impact of glass compositions and glassy or crystalline state on ∆Ghydr is demonstrated referring to chemical durability. Along considerations regarding the aqueous system, the thermodynamic calculations proof the precipitation of hydroxyapatite inwater and simulated body fluid for a systemcontaining P2O5 and Ca2+. In the course of deriving the Gibbs energies for bioactive glass compositions via constitutional compounds, bioactive behavior is discussed from the point of coexisting equilibrium phases in the system of Na2O-CaO-SiO2.