Effect of the type of surfactant on bioactive glasses foam formation

Bioactive glass foams have been developed in order to produce macroporous structures for bone tissue engineering applications. The controlled foam formed in the sol-gel solution with the addition of a surfactant will result in a scaffold with structural properties necessary to migration, adhesion, ingrowth and proliferation of bone cells. Two surfactants were used to form foam in the sot solution, polyethylene glycol trimethylnonyl ether (Tergitol(R), nonionic) and lauryl ether sodium sulphate (LESS, anionic). Best performance was presented by the second one which result in structures that better agree with the properties required for cells culture.