Diopside Glass-Ceramics for Dental and Biomedical Applications.

Abstract

A series of glass compositions with varying equimolar amounts of Na2O:Al2O3 were designed using Appen factors. High purity batch reagents were ball milled for 30 min and transferred to Pt/Rh crucible and melted in an electric furnace (EHF1700, Lenton, UK) at high temperatures then held for 90 min. The molten glass was poured into a graphite mould, annealed at 50oC below the glass transition temperature for 1h and the remaining glass was quenched into water. Glass frits were crushed and ball milled into powders with different particle sizes. Glass powders (PS<125μm) were heat-treated via two-step heat treatment cycles and air quenched. Experimental glasses and glass-ceramics were characterised using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Dilatometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).