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Processing and cytocompatibility of Cu-doped and undoped fluoride-containing bioactive glasses
(2024)
Sintered or additive-manufactured bioactive glass (BG) scaffolds are highly interesting for bone replacement applications. However, crystallization often limits the high-temperature processability of bioactive glasses (BGs). Thus, the BG composition must combine high bioactivity and processability. In this study, three BGs with nominal molar (%) compositions 54.6SiO2-1.7P2O3-22.1CaO-6.0Na2O-7.9K2O-7.7MgO (13–93), 44.8SiO2-2.5P2O3-36.5CaO-6.6Na2O-6.6K2O-3.0CaF2 (F3) and 44.8SiO2-2.5P2O3-35.5CaO-6.6Na2O-6.6K2O-3.0CaF2-1.0CuO (F3–Cu) were investigated. The dissolution and ion release kinetics were investigated on milled glass powder and crystallized particles (500–600 μm). All glasses showed the precipitation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) crystals after 7 days of immersion in simulated body fluid. No significant differences in ion release from glass and crystalline samples were detected. The influence of surface roughness on cytocompatibility and growth of preosteoblast cells (MC3T3-E1) was investigated on sintered and polished BG pellets. Results showed that sintered BG pellets were cytocompatible, and cells were seen to be well attached and spread on the surface after 5 days of incubation. The results showed an inverse relation of cell viability with the surface roughness of pellets, and cells were seen to attach and spread along the direction of scratches.
This study investigates the sintering and crystallization behavior and kinetic of the bioactive glass (BG) 13–93 with nominal composition (in mol%): 54.6 SiO2 - 1.7 P2O3 - 22.1 CaO - 6.0 Na2O - 7.9 K2O - 7.7 MgO. Sintering and crystallization were investigated non-isothermally for various particle size fractions smaller than 315 μm as well as for bulk samples. Densification was not hindered by the presence of crystalline phases across all particle size fractions. Afterwards, wollastonite was found as the dominant crystal phase at higher temperature which resorb primary surface precipitation-like quartz crystallites. The growth direction shifts into volume when the sample surface is nearly covered. The crystal growth rate of wollastonite was calculated from the crystalline surface layer thickness measured during heating. The findings of this study are relevant for the high temperature processing of BG 13–93.
The precipitation of struvite, a magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate (MgNH₄PO₄ · 6H₂O) mineral, from wastewater is a promising method for recovering phosphorous. While this process is commonly used in engineered environments, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the formation of struvite crystals remains limited. Specifically, indirect evidence suggests the involvement of an amorphous precursor and the occurrence of multi-step processes in struvite formation, which would indicate non-classical paths of nucleation and crystallization. In this study, we use synchrotron-based in situ x-ray scattering complemented by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy to obtain new insights from the earliest stages of struvite formation. The holistic scattering data captured the structure of an entire assembly in a time-resolved manner. The structural features comprise the aqueous medium, the growing struvite crystals, and any potential heterogeneities or complex entities. By analysing the scattering data, we found that the onset of crystallization causes a perturbation in the structure of the surrounding aqueous medium. This perturbation is characterized by the occurrence and evolution of Ornstein-Zernike fluctuations on a scale of about 1 nm, suggesting a non-classical nature of the system. We interpret this phenomenon as a liquid-liquid phase separation, which gives rise to the formation of the amorphous precursor phase preceding actual crystal growth of struvite. Our microscopy results confirm that the formation of Mg-struvite includes a short-lived amorphous phase, lasting >10 s.
Crystallization is a complex phenomenon with farreaching implications for the production and formulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Understanding this process is critical for achieving control over key physicochemical properties that can affect, for example, the bioavailability and stability of a drug. In this study, we were able to reveal intricate and diverse dynamics of the formation of metastable intermediates of paracetamol crystallization varying with the choice of solvent. We demonstrate the efficacy of our novel approach utilizing an objective function-based non-negative matrix factorization technique for the analysis of time-resolved Raman
spectroscopy data, in conjunction with time-lapse photography.
Furthermore, we emphasize the crucial importance of integrating Raman spectroscopy with supplementary experimental instrumentation for the mathematical analysis of the obtained spectra.
The crystallization proceeds by the advance of the crystal faces into the disordered phase at the expense of the material excess, the supersaturation. Using a conservation constraint for the transformation ratio α∈[0,1] as complementing the rescaled supersaturation to 1 and a kinetic law for the normal growth velocity as function of the supersaturation raised to power g, the growth order, we derive an equation for the rate of transformation dα/dt. We integrate it for the six combinations of the three spatial dimensions D = 1, 2, 3 and the two canonical values of g = 1, 2 towards obtaining expressions for αDg. The same equation, with g = 1 and D = n (n is the so called Avrami exponent) is obtained when taking only the linear in α term from the Taylor’s expansion around α = 0 of the model equation of Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK). We verify our model by fitting datasets of α21 and α31 (from α = 0 to αupper = 0.999) with JMAK to obtain from the fit n = 1.725, 2.43, resp. We show
further how the values of n depend on the value of αupper to which the fit is performed starting always from 0. Towards building a validation protocol, we start with validating α21 with published results.
The fundamental processes of nucleation and crystallization are widely observed in systems relevant to material synthesis and biomineralization; yet most often, their mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we unravel the discrete stages of nucleation and crystallization of Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O (vivianite). We experimentally monitored the formation and transformation from ions to solid products by employing correlated, time-resolved in situ and ex situ approaches. We show that vivianite crystallization occurs in distinct stages via a transient amorphous precursor phase. The metastable amorphous ferrous phosphate (AFEP) intermediate could be isolated and stabilized. We resolved the differences in bonding environments, structure, and symmetric changes of the Fe site during the transformation of AFEP to crystalline vivianite through synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Fe K-edge. This intermediate AFEP phase has a lower water content and less distorted local symmetry, compared to the crystalline end product vivianite. Our combined results indicate that a nonclassical, hydration-induced nucleation and transformation driven by the incorporation and rearrangement of water molecules and ions (Fe2+ and PO4 3−) within the AFEP is the dominating mechanism of vivianite formation at moderately high to low vivianite supersaturations (saturation index ≤ 10.19). We offer fundamental insights into the aqueous, amorphous-to-crystalline transformations in the Fe2+−PO4 system and highlight the different attributes of the AFEP, compared to its crystalline counterpart.
Industrial and agricultural waste streams (waste waters, sludges, tailings etc.), which contain high concentrations of NH4+, PO43- and transition metals, are environmentally harmful due to their toxic pollutants. At the same time, phosphorus and selective transition metals such as Cobalt could be potentially depleted as a critical raw material due to the high demand and rapidly declining natural ore deposits. Therefore, due to simultaneous scarcity and abundance, the phosphorus and 3d metal recovery from agricultural, industrial, mining, or urban wastewaters have been an important factor in sustaining our global consumption and preservation of the natural environment. Typically, separate pathways have been considered to extract hazardous substances such as transition metals or phosphate, independently from each other. Here, we investigate the crystallization of transition metal phosphate (TMP) compounds (NH4MPO4∙6H2O, M3(PO4)2∙8H2O with M = Ni2+, Co2+, NixCo1-x2+ M-struvite and M-phosphate octahydrate) out of aqueous solutions, which allow for P, ammonia and metal co-precipitation. The precipitation of these compounds from industrial and agricultural waste waters has high potential as a P- and 3d metal recovery route. For this purpose, a detailed understanding of the crystallization process beginning from combination of solved ions and ending in a final crystalline product is required. Through adjusting the reaction conditions, the stability, crystallite size and morphology of the as-obtained TMPs could be controlled. Detailed investigations of the precipitation process in time using ex- and in-situ techniques provided new insights into their non-classical crystallization mechanism/crystal engineering of these materials. These TMPs involve transitional colloidal nanophases during the crystallization process. Over time, their complex amorphous framework changes significantly resulting simultaneously in an agglomeration and densification of the compound. After extended reaction times these colloidal nanophases condensed to a final crystal. However, the reaction kinetics of the formation of a final crystalline product and the lifetime of these intermediate phases vary significantly depending on the metal cation involved in the precipitation process. Ni-struvite is stable in a wide reactant concentration range and at different metal/phosphorus (M/P)-ratios, whereas Co tends to form Co-struvite and/or Co-phosphate octahydrate depending on the (M/P)-ratio. The mixed NixCo1-x system shows a significantly different crystallization behavior and reaction kinetics of the precipitation compared to the pure endmembers. The observed various degree of stability could be linked to the octahedral metal coordination environment in these compounds. The achieved level of control over the precipitates, is highly desirable for 3d- and P-recovery methods. Under this paradigm, the crystals can be potentially upcycled as precursor materials for (electro)catalytical applications.
1-Hydroxymethylnaphtalene (HMN) or 11-bromoundecanol (BUND) were used as initiators and Sn(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2) as catalyst for ROPs of L-Lactide (LA) at 115 °C in bulk or in 4 M and 2M solutions in toluene. The LA/In ratio, the LA/Cat ratio and the time were varied. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI TOF) mass spectra exclusively displayed peaks of linear chains, when the ROPs were conducted in bulk. But in contrast to reports in the literature, mixtures of linear and cyclic poly(L-lactide) (PLA), were obtained, when the ROPs were performed in solution. The intensity distribution of the mass peaks of cyclic PLAs displayed a “saw-tooth pattern” after annealing in contrast to the mass peak distribution of the liner chains. This new phenomenon indicated that cyclic PLAs and linear PLAs crystallized in separate crystals from the same reaction mixture. This conclusion was confirmed by fractionated crystallization from 2 M solution, which confirmed that the cyclic PLAs nucleate and crystallize faster than the linear chains.
Glasses in the systems Me2O-ZnO-B2O3 with Me = Li, Na, K, Rb (MeZB), Na2O-ZnO-CuO-B2O3 (NZCuB), CaO-ZnO-B2O3 (CaZB), and Li2O-PbO-B2O3 (LPbB) as a reference, were studied by differential thermal analysis, dilatometry, rotational viscometry, and heating microscopy. A decrease of viscosity and sintering range was found with decreasing number of fourfold coordinated boron. The viscosity of the alkali zinc borate glasses varies only slightly. LPbB and CaZB stand out by their reduced and increased viscosities, respectively. Sodium, potassium, and calcium zinc borate glasses possess a fragility above 76. All glasses were sintered to full density before crystallization. Mostly binary zinc borate phases govern crystallization. A ternary crystalline phase was detected only in the potassium containing sample. The Weinberg glass stability parameter ranges between 0.07 and 0.12. This is caused by the presence of several crystalline phases and varying melting points of even the same crystalline phase in different glass matrices.
Industrial and agricultural waste streams (waste water, sludges, tailings, etc.) which contain high concentrations of NH4+, PO43–, and transition metals are environmentally harmful and toxic pollutants. At the same time, phosphorous and transition metals constitute highly valuable resources. Typically, separate pathways have been considered to extract hazardous transition metals or phosphate independently from each other. Investigations on the simultaneous removal of multiple components have been carried out only to a limited extent. Here, we report the synthesis routes for Ni- and Co-struvites (NH4MPO4·6H2O, M = Ni2+ and Co2+), which allow for P, ammonia, and metal co-precipitation. By evaluating different reaction parameters, the phase and stability of transition metal struvites as well as their crystal morphologies and sizes could be optimized. Ni-struvite is stable in a wide reactant concentration range and at different metal/phosphorus (M/P) ratios, whereas Co-struvite only forms at low M/P ratios. Detailed investigations of the precipitation process using ex situ and in situ techniques provided insights into the crystallization mechanisms/crystal engineering of these materials. M-struvites crystallize via intermediate colloidal amorphous nanophases, which subsequently aggregate and condense to final crystals after extended reaction times. However, the exact reaction kinetics of the formation of a final crystalline product varies significantly depending on the involved metal cation in the precipitation process: several seconds (Mg) to minutes (Ni) to hours (Co). The achieved level of control over the morphology and size makes precipitation of transition metal struvites a promising method for direct metal recovery and binding them in the form of valuable phosphate raw materials. Under this paradigm, the crystals can be potentially up-cycled as precursor powders for electrochemical or (electro)catalytic applications, which require transition metal phosphates.
Artificial bone replacement by individual customized three-dimensional resorbable bioactive glass has not yet been widely established in the clinical use. This is mainly due to the antagonism of sintering ability and suitable bioactivity. Competitive crystallization often prevents the generation of dense sintered bodies, especially for additive manufactured 3D structures. Previous studies of the fluoride-containing glass F3 have shown its potential to combine both sintering ability and suitable bioactivity. Furthermore, the occurring sintering blockade by surface crystallization of Na2CaSi2O6 was tunable by glass particle size.
In this study the glasses F3, F3-Cu with 1 mol% CuO added at the expense of CaO and the well-known 13-93 were chosen to determine the influence of surface crystallization on 3D printed sinter bodies. For this purpose, grain size fractions in range of smaller 32 µm to 315 µm in fraction size of 6-20 µm were sieved from jaw crushed glass frit as well as glass cubes were cut from casted blocks for all glasses. Sintering behavior of both pressed and printed powder compacts was observed via heating microscopy. Crystallization was determined by DTA and crystallization progress was monitored on fractured sinter bodies and polished cubes via electron and laser scanning microscopy as well as with diffractometry.
Depending on grain size the formation of crystalline support framework along former grain boundaries shows the capability to stabilize fully densified sinter bodies before softening. Beside of this, the generation of complex hierarchic porosity was possible as well.
Sintering, crystallization, and foaming of 44.8SiO2–2.5P2O3–36.5CaO–6.6Na2O–6.6K2O–3.0CaF2 (F3) and 54.6SiO2–1.7P2O3–22.1CaO–6.0Na2O–7.9K2O–7.7MgO (13–93) bioactive glass powders milled in isopropanol and CO2 were studied via heating microscopy, differential thermal analysis, vacuum hot extraction (VHE), Infrared spectroscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Full densification was reached in any case and followed by significant foaming.
VHE studies show that foaming is driven by carbon gases and carbonates were detected by Infrared spectroscopy to provide the major foaming source. Carbonates could be detected even after heating to 750◦C, which hints on a thermally very stable species or mechanical trapping. Otherwise, dark gray compact colors for milling in isopropanol indicate the presence of residual carbon as well. Its significant contribution to foaming, however, could not be proved and might be
limited by the diffusivity of oxygen needed for carbon oxidation to carbon gas.
The microstructure of most Seljuk and Ilkhanid stucco decorations consists of micrometer-sized crystals of gypsum. The stucco-masters of these periods (neither nowadays stucco-masters) were not able to directly control the properties of these tiny crystals with their hands or centimeter-sized tools. There are, however, traces of chaîne opératoire accumulated in the materialistic body of these pieces, some of which could be explored through an interdisciplinary approach. Such an investigation requires very careful in situ observation of the macrostructure, and scientific analyses of the material to discover part of the production process for each body of stucco. Furthermore, there are deterioration factors, some of which are not yet fully understood, and should be identified using modern analytical instruments. These damaging factors could easily affect the micro and macro structure of a stucco decoration, influencing our interpretation. The concept of chaîne opératoire reframes our questions about the production process and probable dating technique of Seljuk and Ilkhanid stuccoes, while analyses of labmade replicas and historic materials enhance our understanding and interpretation of these materials. Here we present the results of such a study for a large body of Seljuk and Ilkhanid stucco decorations at various sites in Iran, and present the potential of this approach as a new perspective in this field of research.
Lake Magadi, East African Rift Valley, is a hyperalkaline and saline soda lake highly enriched in Na+, K+, CO32–, Cl–, HCO3–, and SiO2 and depleted in Ca2+ and Mg2+, where thick evaporite deposits and siliceous sediments have been forming for 100 000 years. The hydrogeochemistry and the evaporite deposits of soda lakes are subjects of growing interest in paleoclimatology, astrobiology, and planetary sciences. In Lake Magadi, different hydrates of sodium carbonate/bicarbonate and other saline minerals precipitate. The precipitation sequence of these minerals is a key for understanding the hydrochemical evolution, the paleoenvironmental conditions of ancient evaporite deposits, and industrial crystallization. However, accurate determination of the precipitation sequence of these minerals was challenging due to the dependency of the different hydrates on temperature, water activity, pH and pCO2, which could induce phase transformation and secondary mineral precipitation during sample handling. Here, we report a comprehensive methodology applied for monitoring the evaporitic mineral precipitation and hydrochemical evolution of Lake Magadi. Evaporation and mineral precipitations were monitored by using in situ video microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction of acoustically levitated droplets. The mineral patterns were characterized by ex situ Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Experiments were coupled with thermodynamic models to understand the evaporation and precipitation-driven hydrochemical evolution of brines. Our results closely reproduced the mineral assemblages, patterns, and textural relations observed in the natural setting. Alkaline earth carbonates and fluorite were predicted to precipitate first followed by siliceous sediments. Among the salts, dendritic and acicular trona precipitate first via fractional crystallization─reminiscent of grasslike trona layers of Lake Magadi. Halite/villiaumite, thermonatrite, and sylvite precipitate sequentially after trona from residual brines depleted in HCO3–. The precipitation of these minerals between trona crystals resembles the precipitation process observed in the interstitial brines of the trona layers. Thermonatrite precipitation began after trona equilibrated with the residual brines due to the absence of excess CO2 input. We have shown that evaporation and mineral precipitation are the major drivers for the formation of hyperalkaline, saline, and SiO2-rich brines. The discrepancy between predicted and actual sulfate and phosphate ion concentrations implies the biological cycling of these ions. The combination of different in situ and ex situ methods and modeling is key to understanding the mineral phases, precipitation sequences, and textural relations of modern and ancient evaporite deposits. The synergy of these methods could be applicable in industrial crystallization and natural brines to reconstruct the hydrogeochemical and hydroclimatic conditions of soda lakes, evaporite settings, and potentially soda oceans of early Earth and extraterrestrial planets.
Simvastatin (SV) is an important active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for treatment of hyperlipidemias, which is known to exist in different crystalline and amorphous phases. It is, therefore, an interesting model to investigate how the outcome of evaporative crystallization in the contactless environment of an acoustically levitated droplet may be influenced by key experimental conditions, such as temperature, solvent properties (e.g., polarity and hygroscopicity), and dynamics of the evaporation process. Here, we describe a real-time and in situ study of simvastatin evaporative crystallization from droplets of three solvents that differ in volatility, polarity, and protic character (acetone, ethanol, and ethyl acetate). The droplet monitorization relied on synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, imaging, and thermographic analysis. A pronounced solvent-dependent behavior was observed. In ethanol, a simvastatin amorphous gel-like material was produced, which showed no tendency for crystallization over time; in ethyl acetate, a glassy material was formed, which crystallized on storage over a two-week period to yield simvastatin form I; and in acetone, form I crystallized upon solvent evaporation without any evident presence of a stable amorphous intermediate. The XRD and Raman results further suggested that the persistent amorphous phase obtained from ethanol and the amorphous precrystallization intermediate formed in ethyl acetate were similar. Thermographic analysis indicated that the evaporation process was accompanied by a considerable temperature decrease of the droplet surface, whose magnitude and rate correlated with the solvent volatility (acetone > ethyl acetate > ethanol). The combined thermographic and XRD results also suggested that, as the cooling effect increased, so did the amount of residual water (most likely captured from the atmosphere) remaining in the droplet after the organic solvent was lost. Finally, the interpretation of the water fingerprint in the XRD time profiles was aided by molecular dynamics simulations, which also provided insights into the possible role of H2O as an antisolvent that facilitates simvastatin crystallization.
L-Lactide was polymerized by means of neat SnOct2 with variation of LA/Cat ratio, temperature and time. The resulting cyclic polylactides crystallized spontaneously at 160 °C or below, but needed nucleation via mechanical stress at 165 or 170 °C. All the crystalline polylactides obtained directly from ROP above 120 °C had melting temperatures (Tm) above 189 °C (up to 194.5 °C). SnOct2 also enabled transformation of low Tm poly(L-lactide)s (Tm <180 °C) into the high Tm m1odification by annealing, due to the impact of transesterification reactions in the interphase between the crystallites. The influence of crystallization temperature and annealing time on the crystal thickness was studied via SAXS measurements. A comparison with the crystallization and annealing experiments reported by Pennings and coworkers and Tsuji and Ikada is discussed, and a satisfactory agreement has been found, because those authors also studied polyLA samples containing SnOct2 in its active form. It is also demonstrated in this work that the high Tm modification cannot be obtained when the catalyst is removed or poisoned as it is true for commercial polylactides.
SnOct2 (Sn(II) 2-ethylhexanoate) catalyzed ROPs of L-lactide were performed in bulk with eight different alcohols as initiators. The time was varied between 1 h and 24 h for all initiators. For two initiators the temperature was also lowered to 115 ◦C. Even-numbered chains were predominantly formed in all polymerizations at short times, but the rate of transesterification (e.g. even/odd equilibration) and the molecular weight distribution were found to depend significantly on the nature of the initiator. Observed transesterification reactions also continued in solid poly (L-lactide), and with the most active initiator, almost total equilibration was achieved even at 130 ◦C. This means that all chains including those of the crystallites were involved in transesterification reactions proceeding across the flat surfaces of the crystallites. The more or less equilibrated crystalline polylactides were characterized by DSC and SAXS measurements with regard to their melting temperature (Tm), crystallinity and crystal thickness.
Single Femtosecond Laser-Pulse-Induced Superficial Amorphization and Re-Crystallization of Silicon
(2021)
Superficial amorphization and re-crystallization of silicon in <111> and <100> orientation after irradiation by femtosecond laser pulses (790 nm, 30 fs) are studied using optical imaging and transmission electron microscopy. Spectroscopic imaging ellipsometry (SIE) allows fast data acquisition at multiple wavelengths and provides experimental data for calculating nanometric amorphous layer thickness profiles with micrometric lateral resolution based on a thin-film layer model. For a radially Gaussian laser beam and at moderate peak fluences above the melting and below the ablation thresholds, laterally parabolic amorphous layer profiles with maximum thicknesses of several tens of nanometers were quantitatively attained. The accuracy of the calculations is verified experimentally by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX). Along with topographic information obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM), a comprehensive picture of the superficial re-solidification of silicon after local melting by femtosecond laser pulses is drawn.
One series of BiSub-catalyzed ring-opening polymerizations (ROPs) is per-formed at 160 °C for 3 days with addition of difunctional cocatalysts to find out, if poly(l-lactide) crystallizes directly from the reaction mixture. An analogous series is performed with monofunctional cocatalysts. High Tm crystal-lites (Tm > 190 °C) are obtained from all bifunctional cocatalysts, but not from all monofunctional ones. It is shown by means of SAXS measurements that the high Tm values are mainly a consequence of a transesterification–homogenization process across the lamellar surfaces resulting in thickness and smoothing of the surfaces. An unusual enthalpy-driven modification of the molecular weight distribution is found for samples that have crystallized during the polymerization. A third series of ROPs is performed at 170 °C for 2 h followed by annealing at 120 °C (2 h) to induce crystallization. Complete transformation of the resulting low Tm crystallites (Tm < 180 °C) into the high Tm crystallites by annealing at 170 °C for 1 d is not achieved, despite variation of the cocatalyst.
Cyclic polylactides were prepared in bulk at 170 °C, crystallized at 120 °C and then annealed at temperatures between 130 and 170 C with variation of catalyst, catalyst concentration and annealing time. The transformation of the initially formed low melting (LTm) crystallites, having melting temperatures (Tm) <180 °C into high melting (HTm) crystallites having Tm values > 189 °C was monitored by means of DSC measurements and characterized in selected cases by SAXS measurements. It was confirmed that the formation of HTm crystallites involves a significant growth of the thickness of the lamellar crystallites along with smoothing of their surface. Annealing at 170 °C for 1 d or longer causes thermal degradation with lowering of the molecular weights, a gradual transition of cyclic into linear chains and a moderate decrease of lamellar thickness. An unexpected result revealed by MALDI TOF mass spectrometry is a partial reorganization of the molecular weight distribution driven by a gain of crystallization enthalpy.
1:1 Copolymerizations of glycolide (GL) and L-lactide (LA) is performed in bulk at 100°C and at 160°C with four cyclic tin catalysts. The resulting copolyesters are characterized by SEC measurements, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and by MALDI TOF mass spectrometry. At 160°C and longer reaction time (22 h) nearly complete conversion of both monomers is achieved, and cyclic copolymers with nearly random sequences are formed. At shorter times (0.5-3.0 h, depending on catalyst) the conversion of LA is incomplete, and only cyclics having even numbers of lactyl units are obtained. At 100°C at 22 h again cycles mainly consisting of even numbered lactyl units are formed, but with even and odd numbers of glycolyl units. Copolymerization of lactide at 160°C with small amounts of GL show that formation of high Tm crystallites (Tm > 190°C) is hindered even when only > 2% of GL is added. For polyglycolide containing a smaller amount of lactide complete solubility in hexafluoroisopropanol is only observed around and above 20 mol% of lactide.
The choice of solvents influences crystalline solid formed during the crystallization of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The underlying effects are not always well understood because of the complexity of the systems. Theoretical models are often insufficient to describe this phenomenon. In this study, the crystallization behavior of the model drug paracetamol in different solvents was studied based on experimental and molecular dynamics data. The crystallization process was followed in situ using time-resolved Raman spectroscopy. Molecular dynamics with simulated annealing algorithm was used for an atomistic understanding of the underlying processes. The experimental and theoretical data indicate that paracetamol molecules adopt a particular geometry in a given solvent predefining the crystallization of certain polymorphs
Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is an important precursor in the biomineralization of crystalline CaCO3. In nature, it serves as a storage material or as a permanent structural element, whose lifetime is regulated by an organic matrix. The relevance of ACC in materials science is primarily related to our understanding of CaCO3 crystallization pathways and CaCO3/(bio)polymer nanocomposites. ACC can be synthesized by liquid–liquid phase separation, and it is typically stabilized with macromolecules. We have prepared ACC by milling calcite in a planetary ball mill. Phosphate “impurities” were added in the form of monetite (CaHPO4) to substitute the carbonate anions, thereby stabilizing ACC by substitutional disorder. The phosphate anions do not simply replace the carbonate anions. They undergo shear-driven acid/base and condensation reactions, where stoichiometric (10%) phosphate contents are required for the amorphization to be complete. The phosphate anions generate a strained network that hinders ACC recrystallization kinetically. The amorphization reaction and the structure of BM-ACC were studied by quantitative Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and solid state 31P, 13C, and 1H magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which are highly sensitive to symmetry changes of the local environment. In the first—and fast—reaction step, the CO32– anions are protonated by the HPO42– groups. The formation of unprecedented hydrogen carbonate (HCO3–) and orthophosphate anions appears to be the driving force of the reaction, because the phosphate group has a higher Coulomb energy and the tetrahedral PO43– unit can fill space more efficiently. In a competing second—and slow—reaction step, pyrophosphate anions are formed in a condensation reaction. No pyrophosphates are formed at higher carbonate contents. High strain leads to such a large energy barrier that any reaction is suppressed. Our findings aid in the understanding of the mechanochemical amorphization of calcium carbonate and emphasize the effect of impurities for the stabilization of the amorphous phases in general. Our approach allowed the synthesis of new amorphous alkaline earth defect variants containing the unique HCO3– anion. Our approach outlines a general strategy to obtain new amorphous solids for a variety of carbonate/phosphate systems that offer promise as biomaterials for bone regeneration.
The present study investigates early stages of ZIF-8 crystallization up to 5 minutes post mixing of precursor solutions. Dispersive X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (DXAS) provides a refined understanding of the evolution of the coordination environment during ZIF-8 crystallization. Linear Combination Fiting (LCF) suggests tetrakis(1-methylimidazole)zinc2+ to be a suitable and stable mononuclear structure analogue for some early stage ZIF-8 intermediates. Our results pave the way for more detailed studies on physico-chemical aspects of ZIF-8 crystallization to better control tailoring ZIF-8 materials for specific applications.
Chemically modified bioactive glasses based on ICIE16 were prepared with the melt-quenching method using water as a quenching medium. The sinterability of these bioactive glasses was investigated and is discussed in this article. The sintering experiments were conducted with different sintering temperatures, sintering times and heating rates. Those parameters are crucial for dense glass with an amorphous structure. The particle size (d50) of the starting glass powder was determined at 88 μm and kept constant. The pre-pressed glass pellets were cold-isostatically pressed at 300 MPa to a green density of around 63 %. Density development, phase identification, shrinkage behavior and the microstructure were investigated to determine the sinterability of the developed glasses. The glass powders were sintered at different temperatures inside the processing window while crystallization was monitored. The results have shown that the sinterability of the developed glasses strongly dependsonthe proposed chemical additions. The highest density reached was 96 %, which belongs to BP1 glass with sintering conditions of 20 K/min heating rate for 60 min at 750 °C.
The crystallization behavior of sodium ion conductive Na2MnP2O7 glass was examined to clarify the crystallization mechanism. The formation of thermodynamically metastable phase, layered Na2MnP2O7, at the surface of the glass occurred. Heat treatment at 430 °C for 3 h lead to surface crystals of Na2MnP2O7 oriented with the (101) direction perpendicular to the sample surface. As the heat treatment temperature increased, the glass-ceramic samples deformed, and the presence numerous micro bubbles due to dissolved water was detected.
Characterization of early crystallization stages in surface-crystallized diopside glass-ceramics
(2019)
Structure formation in glass-ceramics by means of surface crystallization is a challenging open question and remains elusive to definite answers. In several glass-ceramic systems, oriented crystal layers have been observed at the immediate surface, including diopside and some fresnoite systems. However, it is still open to debate, whether oriented surface crystallization is the result of oriented nucleation or growth selection effects. In the same vein, there is still discussion whether surface nucleation is governed by surface chemistry effects or by defects serving as active nucleation sites.
In order to help answer these questions, annealing experiments at 850°C have been performed on a MgO·CaO·2SiO2 glass, leading to the crystallization of diopside at the surface. Different annealing durations and surface treatment protocols (i.a. lapping with diamond slurries between 16 µm and 1 µm grain size) have been applied. Particular focus has been put on earliest crystallization stages, with crystal sizes down to about 200 nm. The resultant microstructure has been analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and two different kinds of textures have been observed, with the a- or b-axis being perpendicular to the sample surface and the c-axis lying in the sample plane. Even at shortest annealing durations, a clear texture was present in the samples. Additionally, selected samples have been investigated with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM-EDX). The diopside crystals have been found to exhibit distinguished submicron structure variations and the glass around the crystals was shown to be depleted of Mg.
The sintering of bioactive glasses allows for the preparation of complex structures, such as three‐dimensional porous scaffolds. Such 3D constructs are particularly interesting for clinical applications of bioactive glasses in bone regeneration, as the scaffolds can act as a guide for in‐growing bone cells, allowing for good Integration with existing and newly formed tissue while the scaffold slowly degrades. Owing to the pronounced tendency of many bioactive glasses to crystallize upon heat treatment, 3D scaffolds have not been much exploited commercially. Here, we investigate the influence of crystallization on the sintering behavior of several bioactive glasses. In a series of mixed‐alkali glasses an increased CaO/alkali metal oxide Ratio improved sintering compared to Bioglass 45S5, where dense sintering was inhibited.
Addition of small amounts of calcium fluoride helped to keep melting and sintering temperatures low. Unlike glass 13‐93, these new glasses crystallized during sintering but this did not prevent densification. Variation in bioactive glass particle size allowed for fine‐tuning the microporosity resulting from the sintering process.
Overview about the surface initiated microstructure formation in glass surfaces. Samples which are exposed to a temperature treatment, can develop a crystalline microstructure above Tg at the surface. These separated crystals can be preferably oriented towards the surface of the sample. First experiments about the origin of these orientation phenomenon as well as the potentially causing mechanisms are presented and discussed within the presentation.
Up to now, the mechanisms of surface nucleation and surface-induced texture formation are far from being understood. Very few observations of crystal orientation were focused on separately growing surface crystals. In conclusion, no systematic studies on initially oriented crystal growth or nucleation from defined active surface nucleation sites exists. Therefore, the main objective of this just is to advance the basic understanding of the mechanisms of surface-induced microstructure formation in glass ceramics. As a first attempt, we focus on reorientation of separately growing surface crystals during their early growth.
Polynuclear aluminium species (Al13 keggin cluster) find application in different areas like water purification [1], contaminant transport [2], and as pilling clays with high specific surface areas[3], due to their strong binding ability to aggregates and high positive charge.
In the present contribution, we report on the in situ investigation of the Al13 sulfate synthesis by synchrotron wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). Al13 cluster were crystallized by precipitating hydrolyzed aluminum solutions by the addition of sodium sulfate. The measurements were performed using a custom-made acoustic levitator as sample holder. The study provides information about the intermediates during the crystallization process. From the data, a mechanism was derived indicating the influence of the crystallization process.
In this contribution we describe an in-situ study of the crystallization of simvastatin in three solvents. The studies were carried out by solvent evaporation at the µSpot beamline using acoustically levitated solution droplets in combination with simultaneous X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and imaging analysis.
Up to now, the mechanisms of surface nucleation and surface-induced texture formation are far from being understood. Corresponding phenomena are discussed hypothetically or even controversial, and related studies are restricted to very few glasses. In this talk the state of the art on mechanisms of surface nucleation are summarized. On one hand, mechanical damaged surfaces show high nucleation activity, at which the nucleation occurs at convex tips and edges preferentially. On the other hand, solid foreign particles are dominant nucleation sites at low damaged surfaces. They enable nucleation at temperatures even far above Tg. The nucleation activity of the particles is substantially controlled by their thermal and chemical durability. But no systematic studies on initially oriented crystal growth or nucleation from defined active nucleation sites have been pursued, so far. Therefore, the main objective of a just started project is to advance the basic understanding of the mechanisms of surface-induced microstructure formation in glass ceramics. We shall answer the question whether preferred orientation of surface crystals is the result of oriented nucleation or caused by other orientation selection mechanisms acting during early crystal growth. In both cases, crystal orientation may be caused by the orientation of the glass surface itself or the anisotropy and orientation of active surface nucleation defects. As a first attempt we focused on possible reorientation of separately growing surface crystals during early crystal growth. First results show clear evidence that separately growing crystals can reorient themselves as they are going to impinge each other.
Sintered bioactive glass scaffolds of defined shape and porosity, e.g. made via additive manufacturing, must provide sufficient bioactivity and sinterability. As higher bioactivity is often linked to high corrosion and crystallization tendency, a certain compromise between sintering ability and bioactivity is therefore required. Groh et al. developed a fluoride-containing bioactive glass (F3), which allows fiber drawing and shows a bioactivity well comparable to that of Bioglass®45S5.
To study whether and to what extent the sinterability of F3 glass powder is controlled by particle size, coarse and fine F3 glass powders (300-310µm and 0-32µm) were prepared by crushing, sieving and milling. Sintering, degassing and phase transformation during heating were studied with heating microscopy, vacuum hot extraction (VHE), DTA, XRD, and SEM.
For the coarse glass powder, sintering proceeds slowly and is limited by surface crystallization of primary Na2CaSi2O6 crystals. Although the crystallization onset of Na2CaSi2O6 is shifted to lower temperature, full densification is attained for the fine powder. This finding indicate that certain porosity might be tuned via particle size variation. Above 900°C, intensive foaming is evident for the fine powder. VHE studies revealed that carbon species are the main foaming source.
Ferritic-martensitic high temperature alloys are widely used as boiler tube and heat exchanger materials in combustion based power plants. All technologies have in common that the applied materials are exposed to different temperatures, process pressures and reactive atmospheres which lead to a change of the material properties and a further degradation of the material.
To date corrosion analytics mainly proceeds via the use of various microscopic techniques and the analysis of the corrosion products after the reaction is completed. Comprehensive efforts have been made to study high temperature corrosion by the use of environmental SEM’s or in-situ TEM technologies. The here presented work will show a different approach to study high temperature gas corrosion in a multiple gas atmosphere by energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD). For this technique high energetic white X-ray radiation (10-100 keV) was used as radiation source instead of conventional monochromatic radiation. It enables us to study crystallization procedures on short and medium time scales (1 min < t < 24 h) and the collection of Bragg-Signals of the phases of interest as a function of process time. Their occurrence can directly be correlated with thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. A special designed corrosion reactor was used to combine high temperature gas corrosion experiments with the collection of diffraction patter. The crystallization and reaction paths for oxide and sulfide formation was followed in-situ on Fe-Cr and Fe-Cr-Mn model alloys in a hot SO2 containing (T=650 °C) atmosphere.
An understanding on crystallization behavior and kinetics in glasses is one of the important topics in the glass science and technology. Tsukada et al.1) found an extremely unique and curious phenomenon in the crystallization of multiferroic (ferroelectric and ferroelastic properties) ’-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystals in Gd2O3-MoO3-B2O3 glasses. That is, crystals formed in the crystallization break into small pieces with a triangle prism or pyramidal shape having a length of 50-150 um spontaneously during the crystallization in the inside of an electric furnace, not during the cooling in air after the crystallization. They proposed to call this phenomenon “self-powdering phenomenon”. To the best of our knowledge, such a self-powdering phenomenon has not been observed in the crystallization of any other glasses. To investigate this phenomenon is very important for the glass science and for the preparation of bulk crystallized glasses with ferroelastic crystals. In this work, the preparation of crystallized glasses keeping the original shape is challenged, and the mechanism of self-powdering phenomenon is proposed. Glasses with the compositions of 21Gd2O3-63MoO3-(16-x)B2O3-xTeO2 (mol%) (x=0, 2, 4, 8) such as 21Gd2O3-63MoO3-16B2O3 (GM16B) and 21Gd2O3-63MoO3-8B2O3-8TeO2 (GM8T8B) were prepared using a conventional melt quenching technique. The quenched glasses were heat-treated at some temperatures, and the crystalline phase present in the crystallized samples was identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, and the morphology and birefringence of crystals formed were observed using a polarized optical microscope (POM). The densities of GM16B and GM8T8B glasses are 4.76 g/cm3 and 4.91 g/cam3, respectively, and these values are higher than the density of ’-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystal, 4.555 g/cm3. These differences in the density might induce the large stresses in the inside of crystals during the crystal growth. The crystallized glasses of GM16B with ’-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystals do not keep the original glass shape, showing self-powdering phenomenon (breaking into small pieces). However, the crystallized glasses of GM8T8B keep the original glass shape without indicating any self-powdering. It is proposed that the stress at the interface between the glassy phase and ’-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystalline phase might be reduced in GM8T8B glasses containing TeO2 with weak Te-O bonds.
Theoretical and experimental studies indicate that crystal nucleation can take more complex pathways than expected on the ground of the classical nucleation theory. A direct in situ observation of the different pathways of nucleation from solution is challenging since the paths can be influenced by heterogeneous nucleation sites, such as container walls.
The custom-made acoustic levitator using in these experiments regulates the influence that solid surfaces, temperature, and humidity have on the crystallization process. The investigations of the crystallization process of paracetamol were performed with in situ analytical techniques and theoretical simulations to gain a comprehensive insight into processes, occurring intermediates, and required reaction conditions. The targeted choice of the solvent and the concentration enabled the guidance of the pathways, therefore, resulting in the isolation of one desired crystalline structure.
Control of organic polymorph formation: crystallization pathways in acoustically levitated droplets
(2017)
Theoretical and experimental studies indicate that crystal nucleation can take more complex pathways than expected on the ground of the classical nucleation theory. Among these pathways are the formation of pre-nucleation clusters and amorphous precursor phases. A direct in situ observation of the different pathways of nucleation from solution is challenging since the paths can be influenced by heterogeneous nucleation sites, such as container walls. Here, we provide insights into the crystallization process using the in situ combination of an acoustic levitator, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray scattering. The contactless sample holder enables the observation of homogeneous crystallization processes and the detection of intermediates and final crystalline forms. We provide evidence for the existence of multiple pathways of nucleation based on the investigation of the crystallization of organic molecules from different solvents. Starting from a diluted solution, a supersaturation is reached during the experiment due to the evaporation of the solvent. The highly supersaturated solution reveals different pathways of crystallization. Depending on the degree of supersaturation either the thermodynamically stable or the metastable crystal form is observed.
Iron can form numerous oxides, hydroxides, and oxide−hydroxides. Despite their relevance, many of the transformation processes between these phases are still poorly understood. In particular the crystallization of quasi-amorphous hydroxides and oxide−hydroxides is difficult to assess, since typical diffraction and scattering methods provide only sampleaveraged information about the crystallized phases. We report a new approach for the investigation of the crystallization of oxide−hydroxides. The approach relies on model-type films that comprise a defined homogeneous nanostructure. The nanostructure allows quantitative linking of Information obtained by bulk-averaging diffraction techniques (XRD, SAXS) with locally resolved information, i.e., Domain sizes (SEM, TEM, LEEM) and phase composition (SAED). Using time-resolved imaging and diffraction we deduce mechanism and kinetics for the crystallization of ferrihydrite into hematite. Hematite forms via nucleation of hematite domains and subsequent Domain growth that terminates only upon complete transformation. A Johnson−Mehl−Avrami−Kolmogorov model describes the kinetics over a wide temperature range. The derived understanding enables the first synthesis of ferrihydrite films with ordered mesoporosity and quantitative control over the films’ hematite and ferrihydrite content.
Polynuclear aluminium species (Al13 keggin cluster) find application in different areas like water purification, contaminant transport, and as pilling clays with high specific surface areas, due to their strong binding ability to aggregates and high positive charge.
In the present contribution, we report on the in situ investigation of the Al13 sulfate synthesis by synchrotron wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). Al13 cluster were crystallized by precipitating hydrolyzed aluminum solutions by the addition of sodium sulfate. The measurements were performed using a custom-made acoustic levitator as sample holder. The study provides information about the intermediates during the crystallization process. From the data, a mechanism was derived indicating the influence of the crystallization process.
We report on the in situ investigation of the Al13 sulfate synthesis by WAXS. Al13 sulfates were crystallized by precipitating hydrolyzed aluminum solutions by the addition of sodium sulfate. The measurements were performed using an acoustic levitator. The study provides information about the intermediates during the crystallization process.
Texture formation in amorphous Al86Ni6Y4.5La1.5Co2 splats by thermal and mechanical treatment
(2016)
The crystallization behavior of amorphous Al86Ni6Y4.5La1.5Co2 splats was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Rietveld refinement was used to analyze the preferred orientation of fcc aluminum nanocrystals in the residual amorphous matrix after annealing. Fiber textures in [200] and [220] directions were found after heating to 360 C. The influence of cold rolling on the preferred crystal orientation was studied as a function of the thickness reduction of the specimen. It was found that cold rolling significantly increases the (220) texture, while the (200) texture remains unchanged. Based on the experimental results the formation of (220) and (200) texture during the crystallization of the amorphous splats was ascribed to two different processes, internal stresses induced during splat formation or cold-rolling.
Chemical variability is a main strength of glass. Glass powders are therefore promising candidates for manufacturing a broad diversity of sintered materials like sintered ¬glass-ceramics, glass matrix composites or glass bonded ceramics with tailored mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties and complex shape. Its wide and precise adjustability makes this class of materials, even if it may not be obvious at first sight, a key component of advanced technologies. Manufacture and processing of initial glass powders often allow even more flexibility in materials design. At the same time, however, they can cause additional problems. The lecture illustrates possible consequences of glass powder processing upon glass crystallization and sintering as well as chances for targeted utilization. Simple kinetic models describing the effect of particle size distribution, surface crystallization and rigid inclusions on sintering as well effects of different milling and seeding on sinter crystallization are presented.
Bioglass® 45S5 is mainly used clinically as powders, granules or pastes instead of sintered compacts. This is due to the inherent problem of crystallization during the sintering, which results in poor mechanical properties and reduced bioactivity. Recently, new bioactive glasses with improved crystallization stability have been developed as promising candidates for manufacturing of sintered powder compacts for bone regeneration, which combine improved sintering behavior with bioactivity. Compared with the well-known Bioglass® 45S5 (SiO2-P2O5-CaO-Na2O) the calcium/alkali oxide ratio was increased, sodium oxide was partially replaced by potassium oxide and up to 3 mol% calcium fluoride were added, in order to stabilize the glass against crystallization. The aim of this study was to investigate the sintering and crystallization behavior of these new bioactive glasses.
Sintering and crystallization were characterized by heating microscopy, XRD, FTIR, SEM, and DTA. The results show that a sintered density of 88-99 % is achieved in contrast to only 57-67% for Bioglass® 45S5. In addition, FTIR and XRD analyses show that Bioglass® 45S5 crystallized during sintering while for the new glasses no crystalline phases are detected. The thermal properties of all glasses were studied by DTA measurements, and the influence of grain size was characterized. These studies showed that full densification can be attained for particle size < 32 µm, whereas coarser particles progressively increase residual porosity. Observed foaming phenomena, are strongly retarded by crystallization of beta-HAp.
Nowadays, the use of bioactive glasses is established for bone regeneration; however glasses are used mostly as powders, granules or in a paste. Sintered scaffolds are not used clinically, because of the inherent problem of crystallization during the sintering process, resulting in poor mechanical properties and reduced bioactivity. Therefore it was the aim to design new bioactive glasses, which combine improved processing and sintering with bioactivity.
Compared with the well-known Bioglass® 45S5 (SiO2-P2O5-CaO-Na2O) the calcium/alkali oxide ratio was increased, sodium oxide was partially replaced by potassium oxide and up to 8 mol% calcium fluoride were added, in order to stabilize the glass against crystallization.
The sintering behavior of the new glasses was characterized by heating microscopy and compared to that of Bioglass® 45S5. Results show that the new glasses achieve a sintered density of 88-99 % in contrast to only 57-67% for Bioglass® 45S5. In addition, FTIR and XRD analyses show that Bioglass® 45S5 crystallizes during sintering while for the new glasses no crystalline phases were detected. The thermal properties of all glasses were studied by DTA and DSC measurements, and the influence of grain size was characterized. These studies showed an increase of sintering temperature and final porosity with increasing particle size. The structure of sintered compacts during and after sintering was examined using light and electron microscopy (SEM).
Bioglass® 45S5 is mainly used clinically as powders, granules or pastes instead of sintered compacts. This is due to the inherent problem of crystallization during sintering. Recently, new bioactive glasses with improved crys-tallization stability have been developed as promising candidates for manufacturing of sintered powder compacts for bone regeneration, which combine improved sintering behavior with bioactivity. Compared with the well-known Bioglass® 45S5 (SiO2-P2O5-CaO-Na2O) the calcium/alkali oxide ratio was increased, sodium oxide was partially replaced by potassium oxide and up to 3 mol% calcium fluoride were added, in order to stabilize the glass against crystallization. Sintering and crystallization were characterized by heating microscopy, XRD, FTIR, SEM, and DTA. The results show that a sintered density of 88-99 % is achieved in contrast to only 57-67% for Bioglass® 45S5. Whereas Bioglass® 45S5 powder compacts crystallize during sintering, for the new glasses no crystalline phases were detected. Additionally the influence of grain size was characterized. These studies showed that full densification can be attained for particle size < 32 µm, whereas coarser particles pro-gressively increase residual porosity. Observed foaming phenomena, are strongly retarded by crystallization.
Nowadays, the use of bioactive glasses is established for bone regeneration; however glasses are used mostly as powders, granules or in a paste. Sintered scaffolds are not used clinically, because of the in inherent problem of crystallization during the sintering process, resulting in poor mechanical properties and reduced bioactivity. The aim of this study was therefore to design new bioactive glasses, which combine improved processing and sintering with bioactivity.
Compared with the well-known Bioglass® 45S5 (SiO2-P2O5-CaO-Na2O) the calcium/alkalioxide ratio was increased, sodiumoxide was partially replaced by potassiumoxide and up to 8 mol% calciumflorid were added, in order to stabilize the glass against crystallization.
The sintering behavior of the new glasses was characterized by heating microscopy and compared to Bioglass® 45S5. The results showed that the new glasses achieved a sintered density of 88-99 % in contrast to only 57-67% for Bioglass® 45S5. In addition FTIR and XRD analyses showed that Bioglass® 45S5 crystallized during sintering while for the new glasses no crystalline phases were detected. The thermal properties of all glasses were studied by DTA and DSC measures, and the influence of grain size and heating rate were characterized. These studies showed a shift of start and end temperature of sintering process as well as the final density. The structure of sintered specimens during and after sintering was examined using light and electron microscopy (REM).
Bioglass® 45S5 is mainly used clinically as powders, granules or pastes instead of sintered compacts. This is due to the inherent problem of crystallization during the sintering, which results in poor mechanical properties and reduced bioactivity. Recently, new bioactive glasses with improved crystallization stability have been developed as promising candidates for manufacturing of sintered powder compacts for bone regeneration, which combine improved sintering behavior with bioactivity. Compared with the well-known Bioglass® 45S5 (SiO2-P2O5-CaO-Na2O) the calcium/alkali oxide ratio was increased, sodium oxide was partially replaced by potassium oxide and up to 3 mol% calcium fluoride were added, in order to stabilize the glass against crystallization. The aim of this study was to investigate the sintering and crystallization behavior of these new bioactive glasses.
Sintering and crystallization were characterized by heating microscopy, XRD, FTIR, SEM, and DTA. The results show that a sintered density of 88-99 % is achieved in contrast to only 57-67% for Bioglass® 45S5. In addition, FTIR and XRD analyses show that Bioglass® 45S5 crystallized during sintering while for the new glasses no crystalline phases are detected. The thermal properties of all glasses were studied by DTA measurements, and the influence of grain size was characterized. These studies showed that full densification can be attained for particle size < 32 µm, whereas coarser particles progressively increase residual porosity. Observed foaming phenomena, are strongly retarded by crystallization of beta-HAp.
While polymorphism is a common phenomenon in the crystallization processes of organic compounds, polyamorphism has gained importance only recently. Using sophisticated sample environments and applying in situ scattering methods and vibrational spectroscopy, the complete crystallization process of organic compounds from solution can be traced and characterized. Diffuse scattering from amorphous intermediates can be investigated by analyzing the atomic pair Distribution function (PDF) to gain further insights into molecular pre-orientation. The crystallization behavior of Paracetamol was studied exemplarily under defined, surface-free conditions. Based on the choice of the solvent, the formation of different polymorphs is promoted. The thermodynamically stable form I and the metastable orthorhombic form II could be isolated in pure form directly from solution. For both polymorphs, the crystallization from solution proceeds via a distinct amorphous precursor phase. PDF analyses of these different amorphous states indicate a specific pre-orientation of the analyte molecules introduced by the solvent. The resulting crystalline polymorph is already imprinted in these proto-crystalline precursors. Direct experimental evidence for the polyamorphism of paracetamol is provided.