In-vitro bioactivity of wollastonite materials derived from limestone and silica sand

This paper describes the behaviour of bioactive wollastonite materials containing Malaysian limestone and silica sand. Wollastonite, which is also known as calcium silicate (CaSiO3), is an industrial mineral composed of calcium, silicon and oxygen. Pseudowollastonite, which is a primary crystal of wollastonite, was synthesised via a solid-state reaction at a temperature of 1450 °C. The in-vitro bioactivity of wollastonite was examined by soaking it in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution for 1–7 days at 36.5 °C. The soaked wollastonite samples were characterised using XRD, SEM-EDX, FTIR and ICP analyses. Apatite particles precipitated on the surface of the wollastonite sample after the sample was soaked in the SBF. The XRD analysis indicated the presence of an increasing amount of the hydroxyapatite phase as the soaking time increased. The SEM and EDX analyses indicated the formation of granules of agglomerated apatite particles on the surface of the soaked wollastonite sample. During the formation of apatite, phosphate ions from the SBF solution were consumed. This process was confirmed by ICP, which revealed a decrease in ion concentration after the soaking process. The FTIR analysis indicated that the peaks of the phosphate ions increase when the apatite layer forms on the surface of the wollastonite sample. After the soaking process, a calcium deficient hydroxyapatite layer was observed on the wollastonite sample. The study concludes that wollastonite produced from Malaysian limestone and silica sand is bioactive and may be used as an implantable biomaterial.