Sol-gel materials for bioceramic applications

A common characteristic of glasses, glass-ceramics and ceramics that bond to living tissues is the development of a bioactive hydroxyapatite (HA) in vivo at body temperature. Materials with the highest levels of bioactivity develop a silica gel layer that enhances formation of the HA layer. These sol-gel processes are now used to produce bioactive coatings, powders and substrates that offer molecular control over the incorporation and biological behaviour of proteins and cells with broad applications as implants and sensors.