Abrasive wear behaviour of bio-active glass ceramics containing apatite

In this study, abrasive wear behaviour of bio-active glass ceramic materials produced with two different processes is studied. Hot pressing process and conventional casting and controlled crystallization process were used to produce bio-active ceramics. Fracture toughness of studied material was calculated by fracture toughness equations using experimental hardness results of the bio-active glass ceramic material. Two fracture toughness equations in the literature were used to identify the wear behaviour of studied ceramics. Wear resistance results that identified with both of the equations were similar. The results showed that the abrasive wear resistance of the bio-active glass ceramics produced with hot pressing process was found to be higher than that of the ceramics produced by conventional casting and controlled crystallization process.     

Synthesis, characterization and gas sensing property of hydroxyapatite ceramic

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) biomaterial ceramic was synthesized by three different processing routes viz. wet chemical process, microwave irradiation process, and hydrothermal technique. The synthesized ceramic powders were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR and XPS techniques. The dielectric measurements were carried out as a function of frequency at room temperature and the preliminary study on CO gas sensing property of hydroxyapatite was investigated. The XRD pattern of the hydroxyapatite biomaterial revealed that hydroxyapatite ceramic has hexagonal structure. The average crystallite size was found to be in the range 31–54 nm. Absorption bands corresponding to phosphate and hydroxyl functional groups, which are characteristic of hydroxyapatite, were confirmed by FTIR. The dielectric constant was found to vary in the range 9–13 at room temperature. Hydroxyapatite can be used as CO gas sensor at an optimum temperature near 125°C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies showed the Ca/P ratio of 1.63 for the HAp sample prepared by chemical process. The microwave irradiation technique yielded calcium rich HAp whereas calcium deficient HAp was obtained by hydrothermal method.     

Rings, chains and planes: Variation ofT g with composition in chalcogenide glasses

We propose a microscopic, phenomenological model for the decrease in the viscosity observed at glass transition. Our model is primarily applicable to chalcogenide glasses. According to this model, the decrease in the viscosity at glass transition is mainly due to the breaking of the Van der Waals bonds in the chalcogenides. Using this model, we derive a relationship between the glass transition temperature,T _g ,and the molar volume V _m.The validity of this relation is checked using experimental data available in the literature for two binary systems (Ge-Se and As-S) and a pseudo-binary system (As ₄₀ Se _x Te _60-x .     

Synthesis and magnetic study of Co-Al substituted calcium hexaferrite

A series of calcium substituted polycrystalline ferrite ceramics with magnetoplumbite structures were synthesized using perfect stoichiometric mixtures of oxides with chemical composition, CaAl_xCo_xFe_12−2xO₁₉ (x = 2−5), by standard ceramic technique. The variation in the values ofH _candM _s,which depends on the additive content and the temperature, was studied by means of a vibration magnetometer. The strong variation observed in coercivity, saturation magnetization and Curie temperature with chemical composition give rise to the possibility of controlling these properties and hence applying these compounds in the millimeter— microwave range.     

A study of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation on polycrystalline Ni-Zn ferrites

Polycrystalline NiZn ferrites with different grain sizes (1.2 (Am to 10.2 (Am) were prepared by the usual ceramic method. The magnetic properties were measured at room temperature. The ultrasonic velocity and attenuation were measured on Ni-Zn ferrite by using the pulse transmission method at 1 MHz, in the temperature range 300–600 K. The velocity was found to be slightly sample dependent at room temperature and decreased with increasing temperature, except near the Curie temperature, T _c ,where a small anomaly was observed. The longitudinal attenuation (α ₁ )at room temperature was found to be more sample dependent. The temperature variation of ultrasonic longitudinal attenuation exhibited a broad maximum around 400 K and a sharp maximum just below Curie temperature ( T _c ).The above observations were carried out in the demagnetized state. The application of a 380 mT magnetic field allowed us to reach the saturated state of the sample at all the measuring temperatures. The anomaly observed in the thermal variation of velocities (longitudinal and transverse) and attenuation has been qualitatively explained with the help of the temperature variation of the magneto-crystalline anisotropy constant.     

Chemical reaction of bioactive glass and glass-ceramics with a simulated body fluid

Glass-ceramic A-W containing crystalline apatite and wollastonite in an MgO-CaO-SiO₂ glassy matrix bonds to living bone through an apatite layer which is formed on its surface in the body. The parent glass G of glass-ceramic A-W and glass-ceramic A, which has the same composition as glass-ceramic A-W but contains only the apatite, also bond to living bone through the surface apatite layer, whereas glass-ceramic A-W(Al), which contains the apatite and wollastonite in an MgO-CaO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃ glassy matrix, neither forms the surface apatite layer nor bonds to living bone. In the present study, in order to reveal the mechanism of formation of the surface apatite layer, changes in ion concentrations of a simulated body fluid with immersion of these four kinds of glass and glass-ceramics were investigated. Bioactive glass G and glass-ceramics A and A-W all showed appreciable increases in Ca and Si concentrations, accompanied by an appreciable decrease in P concentration, whereas non-bioactive glass-ceramic A-W(Al) hardly showed any element concentration change. It was speculated from these results that dissolution of the Ca(II) and Si(IV) ions from bioactive glass and glass-ceramics plays an important role in forming the apatite layer on their surfaces in the body.     

Nucleation and growth of a multicomponent metallic glass

The metallic glass samples of Fe ₆₇Co₁₈B₁₄Si₁ (2605CO), prepared by the melt spinning technique were procured from the Allied Corporation. The kinetics of crystallization of this multicomponent glassy alloy is studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystallization data have been examined in terms of modified Kissinger and Matusita equations for the nonisothermal crystallization. The results show enhanced bulk nucleation in general. At high heating rates added to it is surface induced abnormal grain growth resulting in fractal dimensionality. 5th IUMRS ICA98, October 1998, Bangalore.     

Interactions of total bone marrow cells with increasing quantities of macroporous calcium phosphate ceramic granules

The biological properties of synthetic calcium phosphate bioceramics have made them the third choice of material for bone reconstructive surgery, after autologous bone and allografts. Nevertheless, bioceramics lack the osteogenic properties that would allow them to repair large bone defects. One strategy in bone tissue engineering consists of associating a synthetic scaffold with osteogenic cells. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are usually isolated from bone marrow cultured for several weeks and seeded on to a small quantity of bioceramic. We have studied the association of total bone marrow cells, harvested from femurs of rats, with increasing amounts of calcium phosphate ceramic granules (50–250 mg). A cell viability test indicated that a little quantity of bioceramics granules (50 mg) was less detrimental for culturing 1 million nucleated cells from the whole bone marrow population. Cell morphology, viability, adhesion and differentiation were studied after different culture periods. Among the heterogeneous population of bone marrow cells, only a limited amount of cells attached and differentiated on the bioceramics. To explain the influence of the amount of synthetic scaffold on cell viability, media calcium concentrations were measured. Low cell viability could be explained by calcium phosphate precipitation leading to a decrease in calcium concentrations observed with relatively large amounts of scaffold. This study showed that the chemical stability of the ceramic plays a critical role in the viability of bone marrow cells.     

Powder XRD studies onn-C28H58 :n-Cx H 2x+2 (x = 10, 12, 14, 16, 18) hydrocarbon mixtures: Phase strength analysis

Powder XRD investigations were made on mixtures of title compounds and strength of monoclinic, orthorhombic and super-lattice phases were evaluated. Interpretations were made in terms of the influence of tunnel-like defects (TLIDs) and a linear relationship was noticed between the strength of orthorhombic phase and <l_TLID>.     

Porous bioceramics reinforced by coating gelatin

Porous bioceramics with high porosity for bone tissue engineering were fabricated by the foam impregnation technique, but their mechanical strength was poor, only a mean compressive strength of 1.04 ± 0.15 MPa and an mean elastic modulus of 0.1 GPa. In order to reinforce porous ceramics, the ceramic samples were immerged in 5% gelatin solution and gelatin coatings were formed on the inter-surface of their pores. It was found that the mean compressive strength value and the mean elastic modulus value of porous samples coated with gelatin were improved to 5.17 ± 0.17 MPa and 0.3 GPa respectively without sacrificing their porosity greatly. Moreover composite samples were not as fragile as sintered ceramics. The results indicated that the gelatin coatings on the inter-surface of pores reinforced porous bioceramics effectively.     

Effect of heat treatment on properties of steam cured fly ash-lime compacts

Four different varieties of class F fly ashes, collected from different sources from the state of West Bengal (India) were mixed with lime in 9 : 1 wt ratio, followed by compaction of the mixes. The compacts were subjected to steam curing to develop an optimum strength by the reaction between fly ash and lime. The steam cured compacts were heated at different elevated temperatures and free lime content, compressive strength, bulk density and water absorption tendency of these compacts were measured and FTIR spectral changes were studied as a function of the heating temperatures. Kinetics of thermal dehydration of the compacts was also studied from thermogravimetric measurements under non-isothermal condition to ascertain the order of dehydration process and the associated activation energy.     

Electron-beam curing of epoxy resins: Effect of alcohols on cationic polymerization

Electron-beam (e-beam) induced polymerization of epoxy resins proceeds via cationic mechanism in presence of suitable photoinitiator. Despite good thermal properties and significant processing advantages, epoxy-based composites manufactured using e-beam curing suffer from low compressive strength, poor interlaminar shear strength, and low fracture toughness. A detailed understanding of the reaction mechanism involving e-beam induced polymerization is required to properly address the shortcomings associated with e-beam curable resin systems. This work investigated the effect of hydroxyl containing materials on the reaction mechanism of e-beam induced cationic polymerization of phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE). The alcohols were found to play important roles in polymerization. Compared to hydroxyl group of aliphatic alcohol, phenolic hydroxyl group is significantly less reactive with the oxonium active centre, generated during e-beam induced polymerization of epoxy resin system.     

External stimuli response on a novel chitosan hydrogel crosslinked with formaldehyde

Keeping in mind the significance of hydrogels as an external stimuli sensitive super absorbing material, some transparent covalent hydrogels of chitosan were prepared by crosslinking with varying amounts of formaldehyde solution used as crosslinking agent. The characteristics of hydrogels were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and swelling experiments. The effect of crosslinking agent on water absorbency has been investigated. The hydrogels exhibited a relatively higher swelling ratio in the range of 2066–3306% and equilibrium water content (EWC) in the range of 95-38–97 06% at pH 7 and 35°C temperature. The influence of external stimuli such as pH, temperature, and ionic strength of the swelling media on equilibrium swelling properties has been observed. Hydrogels showed a typical pH and temperature responsive behaviour such as low pH and high temperature has maximum swelling while high pH and low temperature show minimum swelling. An increase in the ionic strength of swelling media caused a continuous decrease in the swelling of hydrogels at both acidic and basic pH.     

Surface characterization of sol-gel derived indium tin oxide films on glass

Indium tin oxide (ITO) films containing different In : Sn atomic ratios, viz. 90 :10, 70 :30, 50 : 50, 30 :70, were deposited on two types of glass substrates by sol-gel spinning technique. XPS analysis of the films was done under as-received and after-sputtering conditions. The narrow spectra obtained for the Na1s, In3d, Sn3d and O1s have been discussed. Oxygen was found to exist in three chemical environments in as-received samples due to the existence of (i) environmental hydroxyl (-OH) group, (ii) crystalline ITO and (iii) amorphous ITO; but it was in two chemical environments, (ii) and (iii), after surface cleaning by sputtering. The presence of both tin metal and tin oxides was confirmed by the peak analysis of Sn3d. The In : Sn atomic ratio taken in the precursor sols did not change considerably in the case of developed films of low Sn content, but considerable change was observed in the films having high Sn content.     

具有良好贯通性的颗粒造孔支架的制备及表征

支架孔隙贯通性的研究一直是多孔生物陶瓷的研究重点之一.采用石蜡球作为造孔剂, 在常规的颗粒造孔法制备多孔陶瓷支架的基础上,通过二甲苯处理以便在石蜡球间形成桥联结构, 以扩大颗粒间的接触面积,从而提高多孔陶瓷支架的孔隙贯通性. 借助扫描电镜(SEM)观察陶瓷支架的多孔结构,评价二甲苯处理石蜡球对陶瓷支架孔隙贯通性的改善效果; 采用密度法测定了陶瓷支架的孔隙率并计算其收缩率,并用成骨细胞评价陶瓷支架的细胞相容性. 结果表明,通过二甲苯的处理, 不仅改善了陶瓷支架孔隙的贯通性,而且提高了其孔隙率, 但孔隙率对陶瓷支架的收缩率无明显影响.细胞培养实验显示成骨细胞可进入多孔陶瓷支架内部, 并在材料表面正常生长,贯通性好的多孔陶瓷支架可为成骨细胞生长提供更充分的空间.     

Effect of temperature and α-irradiation on gas permeability for polymeric membrane

In the present study the polyethersulphone (PES) membranes of thickness (35 ±2) μm were prepared by solution cast method. The permeability of these membranes was calculated by varying the temperature and by irradiation of α ions. For the variation of temperature, the gas permeation cell was dipped in a constant temperature water bath in the temperature range from 303–373 K, which is well below the glass transition temperature (498 K). The permeability of H₂ and CO₂ increased with increasing temperature. The PES membrane was exposed by a-source (₉₅Am₂₄₁) of strength (1 μ Ci) in vacuum of the order of 10⁻⁶ torr, with fluence 2.7 × 10⁷ ions/cm². The permeability of H₂ and CO₂ has been observed for irradiated membrane with increasing etching time. The permeability increases with increasing etching time for both gases. There was a sudden change in permeability for both the gases when observed at 18 min etching. At this stage the tracks are visible with optical instrument, which confirms that the pores are generated. Most of pores seen in the micrograph are circular cross-section ones.     

Analysis of microstress in neutron irradiated polyester fibre by X-ray diffraction technique

Microstresses developed in the crystallites of polymeric material due to irradiation of high-energy particle causes peak broadening and shifting of X-ray diffraction lines to lower angle. Neutron irradiation significantly changes the material properties by displacement of lattice atoms and the generation of helium and hydrogen by nuclear transmutation. Another important aspect of neutron irradiation is that the fast neutron can produce dense ionization at deep levels in the materials. The polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibre of raw denier value, 78.2, were irradiated by fast neutron of energy, 4.44 MeV, at different fluences ranging from 1×10⁹ n/cm² to 1 × 10¹² n/cm². In the present work, the radiation heating microstresses developed in PET micro-crystallites was investigated applying X’Pert-MPD Philips Analytical X-ray diffractometer and the effects of microstresses in tensile strength of fibre measured by Instron have also been reported. The shift of 0.45 cm⁻¹ in the Raman peak position of 1614.65 cm{−1} to a higher value confirmed the development of microstresses due to neutron irradiation using micro-Raman technique. The defects due to irradiation were observed by SEM micrographs of single fibre for virgin and all irradiated samples.     

Fatigue and life-time of bioactive glass-ceramic A-W containing apatite and wollastonite

High-strength bioactive glass-ceramic A-W containing apatite and wollastonite shows the least dynamic fatigue among glass and glass-ceramics of the same composition and of different structure in a simulated body fluid at 38.5° C. An avenge life-time estimated from the fatigue of glass-ceramic A-W is 10 yews under continuous loading of bending stress of 65 MPa in the simulated body fluid, whereas that of a sintered dense hydroxyapatite ceramic is only 1 min. Articles of the glass-ceramic which withstand the stress of 215 M Pa in an inert atmosphere are guaranteed for 10 years life-time in the body environment. The glass-ceramic shows an increase in strength, without having an appreciable change in fatigue, when placed in the simulated body fluid without being loaded. Its practical life-time can therefore be expected to be much longer than that estimated above.     

Ein Sterilisationsprozess kann die Eigenschaften von Biokeramik verändern

Sterilization can change properties of bioceramics Bioceramics made of bioinert alumina or zirconia and bioactive hydroxyapatite are well established implant materials. Implants have to be cleaned and sterilized. When sterilized some bioceramics change their color. This may effect their properties. No decrease of mechanical strength is observed when sterilizing alumina and the novel ceramic biocomposite AMC (Alumina Matrix Composite) with steam or Co⁶⁰ Gamma irradiation. When sterilizing Y‐TZP zirconia with steam a decrease of strength is observed.     

Metallo-organic compound-based plasma enhanced CVD of ZrO2 films for microelectronic applications

ZrO ₂ films on silicon wafer were deposited by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition technique using zirconium tetratert butoxide (ZTB). The structure and composition of the deposited layers were studied by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The deposition rates were also studied. MOS capacitors fabricated using deposited oxides were used to characterize the electrical properties of ZrO ₂ films. The films showed their suitability for microelectronic applications.