Bioactive glasses, as pioneering artificial biomaterials, uniquely establish
strong bonds with hard and soft native tissues by forming a bone-like hydroxyapatite
layer in contact with physiological body fluid. This hydroxyapatite layer, mimicking
the inorganic phase of natural bone, adds a fascinating dimension to their biomedical
significance. Comprising three primary components; network formers, network
modifiers, and intermediate oxide components; bioactive glasses allow tailored
properties through component variation. While extensively explored for broadening
biomedical applications, especially in regenerative medicine, their use is constrained by
inherent mechanical shortcomings such as brittleness, fragility, and poor elasticity.
Ongoing studies focus on incorporating bioactive glasses into composite/hybrid
biomaterials with biopolymers, aiming to optimize mechanical properties for diverse
biomedical applications, especially in load-bearing sites of hard tissues. Despite
successful applications, the mechanical limitations persist, prompting investigations
into the influence of composition and processing methods on bioactive glass properties.
Notably, doping bioactive glasses with metallic ions at lower concentrations emerges
as a promising avenue, enhancing mechanical and biological attributes, including
bioactivity, osteogenicity, osteoinductivity, and antibacterial effects. This chapter
provides a comprehensive examination of three bioactive glass types, accentuating their
structures, properties, and processing methods. Additionally, it delves into property
modifications facilitated by metallic ion dopants, contributing valuable insights to the
evolving landscape of biomaterials.
Keywords: Amorphous solids, Bioactive glass, Bioactivity, Borate, Bridging oxygen atom, Doping, Melt-quench, Network connectivity, Network formers, Network modifiers, Non-bridging oxygen atom, Phosphate, Silicate, Sol-gel.
