Structural analysis of zirconia-doped calcium phosphate glasses

Phosphate-based glasses with different compositions of zirconium oxide were prepared using the normal melt quench technique. Characterisation studies, such as ultrasonic velocities, differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray diffraction, in vitro studies, pH measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, were carried out over the entire range of compositions of prepared glasses to explore the component dependent nature of physico-chemical properties. The results that were observed revealed the existence of bioactivity in all the glasses. Higher bioactivity and elastic moduli were noticed in the glass sample with 0.75 mol% of ZrO2 content out of all the prepared samples. An absorption peak at 1100 cm− 1 was observed in the Fourier transform infrared spectra and a Ca–P rich layer on the surface of all glasses was noted. The crystalline peaks that were observed in the X-ray diffraction pattern confirm the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer on the surface of the glass, which contains 0.75 mol% of ZrO2.