Apatite wollastonite–poly methyl methacrylate bio-composites

Bio-composites consisting of sol–gel processed apatite wollastonite (AW) glass ceramics and poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) were prepared by hot compaction method. Density of the composites decreased with increase in PMMA content, while, biaxial flexural strength (BFS) was 21 MPa for 20 wt.% PMMA and beyond which it decreased. A correlation between phase compositions of AW glass ceramics with BFS was attempted from the XRD results. In vitro bioactivity of the composites in a simulated body fluid (SBF) showed the formation of spherical globules on the surface within 7 days of soaking as observed by environmental SEM. Thin film XRD and EDX measurement confirmed these globules to be bone like apatite with Ca/P ratio 1.53 and FTIR measurement showed the corresponding peaks for phosphates. Results indicated the bone bonding ability of the composites by forming a surface apatite (calcium phosphate) layer in SBF and the growth increased with increase in soaking durations. ICP measurement of the remaining SBF after 7, 14 and 21 days soaking of samples was found to be in good agreement with the EDX analysis results.