Preparation and Evaluation of Macroporous Sol-Gel Bioglass with High Mechanical Strength

Bioactive glasses are known to have the ability to regenerate bone, but their use has been restricted mainly to powder, granules, or small monoliths. This work reports on the development of bioactive glasses with macroporosity of controlled size and volume through sol-gel and pore forming technologies. The macroporous structure (greater than 100mum) can provide the potential for tissue ingrowth. Simultaneously the samples exhibit mesoporous (2-50nm) texture and high specific surface which can enhance bioactivity and release of ionic products. The most important advantage is that these samples show satisfactory mechanical strength. This method should be a useful approach for preparation scaffolds with applications to repair and reconstruct damaged tissue.