Preparation of β-Tricalcium Phosphate Containing Silica by CO2-Laser-Irradiation

Abstract

Silicon is one of the essential ions with a stimulating effect on bone formation. β- tricalcium phosphate ceramic (β-TCP) with a modified surface containing silica was prepared in order to accelerate the bone formation. Sintered β-TCP pellets were spin-coated with a prehydrolyzed silica sol, and subsequently laser-irradiated using CO2 laser at the power of 6.5W. Scanning electron microscopy attached with X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) showed that the silica was doped into the β-TCP surface. The silicon ion was released into a trisbuffer solution at pH 7.4 at 37 oC during one week of soaking.