Processing, characterisation, and biocompatibility of zinc modified metaphosphate based glasses for biomedical applications

Bulk and structural properties of zinc oxide (0 up to 20 mol%) containing phosphate glasses, developed for biomedical applications, were investigated throughout this study using differential thermal analysis (DTA), differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and P-31 and Na-23 MAS NMR. Surface wettability and MG63 viability were also considered for surface characterisation of these glasses. The results indicated that incorporation of zinc oxide as a dopant into phosphate glasses produced a significant increase in density; however, the thermal properties presented in glass transition, and melting temperatures were reduced. NaZn(PO3)(3) was detected in the X-Ray Powder Diffraction Analysis (XRD) trace of zinc containing glasses, and the proportion of this phase increased with increasing zinc oxide content. NaCa(PO3)(3) as a second main phase and CaP2O6 in minor amounts were also detected. The P-31 and Na-23 MAS NMR results suggested that the relative abundances of the Q(1) and Q(2) phosphorus sites, and the local sodium environment were unaffected as CaO was replaced by ZnO in this system. The replacement of CaO with ZnO did seem to have the effect of increasing the local disorder of the Q(2) metaphosphate chains, but less so for the Q(1) chain-terminating sites which were already relatively disordered due to the proximity of modifying cations. Glasses with zinc oxide less than 5 mol% showed higher surface wettability, while those with 5 up to 20 mol% showed comparable wettability as zinc oxide free glasses. Regardless of the high hydrophilicity and surface reactivity of these zinc oxide containing glasses, they had lower biocompatibility, in particular 10-20 mol% ZnO, compared to both zinc free glasses and Thermanox (R). This may be associated with the release of significant amount of Zn2+ enough to be toxic to MG63.