Abstract
Calcium phosphate based bioactive quaternary glass systems P2O5-CaO-Na2O-K2O were prepared by melt growth technique. Glasses were prepared in five different compositions by fixing P2O5 at 47 mol% and CaO at 30.5 mol% and by varying the K2O and Na2O concentrations. The structural properties of the glasses are analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies; and the composition of the glasses are studied using energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS). The microhardness of the glass systems are studied by Vickers hardness measurements and the bioactivity of the glasses are studied using in vitro study. The thermal properties have been examined by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The ultrasonic velocity measurements show that the addition of K2O contents produces non-bridging oxygen ion and hence weaken of the glass structure. The weakening of the glass structure reduces the ultrasonic velocity and hence an increase in attenuation. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.