INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGY FOR PRODUCING POROUS BIOACTIVE GLASS-CERAMIC AND POROUS HA/TCP BI-PHASIC MATERIALS

Porous bioactive ceramic materials can be very useful on the filling of bone defects, as scaffolds for tissue engineering, or as carrier systems for the delivery of drugs. The present work describe an innovative methodology for producing porous bioactive ceramic structures, starting from hydroxylapatite or bioactive glass-ceramic powders, that present an adequate micro and macroporosity combined with compressive mechanical properties matching those of cancellous bone. The described processing route is based on a microwave baking process using a powder containing corn starch, sodium pyrophosphate and sodium bicarbonate as blowing agent, and can be used to produce either hydroxylapatite based or glass-ceramic porous structures. By using this new methodology it was possible to produce both porous bioactive glass-ceramic and HA/TCP bi-phasic structures with adequate micro and macroporosity combined with mechanical properties that will eventually allow for their successful use in a range of biomedical applications.