On the adsorption/reaction of acetone on pure and sulfate-modified zirconias.

In situ FTIR spectroscopy was employed to investigate some aspects of the ambient temperature (actually, IR-beam temperature) adsorption of acetone on various pure and sulfate-doped zirconia specimens. Acetone uptake yields, on all examined systems and to a variable extent, different types of specific molecular adsorption, depending on the kind/population of available surface sites: relatively weak H-bonding interaction(s) with surface hydroxyls, medium-strong coordinative interaction with Lewis acidic sites, and strong H-bonding interaction with Brønsted acidic centres. Moreover acetone, readily and abundantly adsorbed in molecular form, is able to undergo the aldol condensation reaction (yielding, as the main reaction product, adsorbed mesityl oxide) only if the adsorbing material possesses some specific surface features.

The toxic effect of fluoride on MG-63 osteoblast cells is also dependent on the production of nitric oxide.

Some soda-lime-phospho-silicate glasses, such as Hench's Bioglass(®) 45S5, form bone-like apatite on their surface when bound to living bone. To improve their osteointegration for clinical purposes, the fluoride insertion in their structure has been proposed, but we recently showed that fluoride causes oxidative damage in human MG-63 osteoblasts, via inhibition of pentose phosphate oxidative pathway (PPP) and its key enzyme glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). In the same cells we have now investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in these effects.

Functionalization of sol gel bioactive glasses carrying Au nanoparticles: selective Au affinity for amino and thiol ligand groups.

It is demonstrated here that bioactive glasses containing Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) can be selectively functionalized with small molecules carrying either amino or thiol groups by simply varying the temperature and pH of the functionalization batch. The results evidence the following. (i) At room temperature (RT), no functionalization of Au-free glass occurs, whereas in the case of glasses containing AuNPs, stable linkages form only with amino groups, as in this condition Au does not bind with either thiol or hydroxyl groups.

Bioactive glasses containing Au nanoparticles. Effect of calcination temperature on structure, morphology, and surface properties.

Bioactive glasses containing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been synthesized via the sol-gel route using HAuCl(4) x 3 H(2)O as gold precursor. The formation process of AuNPs was studied as a function of the thermal treatment, which induces nucleation of Au particles and influences their nature, optical properties, shape, size, and distribution. The physicochemical characterization indicates that the sample treated at 600 degrees C presents the best characteristics to be used as a bioactive material, namely high surface area, high amount of AuNPs located at the glass surface, presence of micropores, and abundant surface OH groups.

Fluoride-containing bioactive glasses inhibit pentose phosphate oxidative pathway and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in human osteoblasts.

Bioactive glasses such as Hench's 45S5 (Bioglass) have applications to tissue engineering as well as bone repair, and the insertion of fluoride in their composition has been proposed to enhance their bioactivity. In view of a potential clinical application, we investigated whether fluoride-containing glasses exert toxic effects on human MG-63 osteoblasts, and whether and how fluoride, which is released in the cell culture medium, might play a role in such cytotoxicity. A 24h incubation with 50 microg/ml (12.

Cytotoxicity of zinc-containing bioactive glasses in contact with human osteoblasts.

Bioactive glasses such as Hench's 45S5 have applications to tissue engineering and bone repair: the insertion of zinc has been proposed to improve their bone-bonding ability and to slacken their dissolution in extracellular body fluids. In view of a potential clinical application, we have investigated whether zinc-containing 45S5 (HZ) glasses might be cytotoxic for human MG-63 osteoblasts. In our experimental conditions, after 24h of incubation HZ glasses released significant amounts of Zn(2+) and induced in MG-63 cells release of lactate dehydrogenase (index of cytotoxicity) and the following indexes of oxidative stress: (i) accumulation of intracellular malonyldialdehyde, (ii) increased activity of pentose phosphate pathway, (iii) increased expression of heme oxygenase-1, (iv) increased activity of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, (v) decreased level of intracellular thiols.

Surface modifications of bioglass immersed in TRIS-buffered solution. A multitechnical spectroscopic study.

Bioglass 45S5 is used in the medical field as a bone regenerative material. In fact, when immersed in body fluid, a layer of hydroxy carbonate apatite (HCA), an analogue to the mineral phase that bones are made of, is deposited on its surface. A mechanism that would explain this process has been hypothesized and includes cation leaching from the glass to the solution and formation of both a silica-rich layer and a Ca/P-rich surface layer, prior to the actual crystallization of HCA.

Formation of a nanostructured layer on bioglass particles of different sizes immersed in tris-buffered solution. N2 adsorption and HR-TEM/EDS analysis.

Morphological and structural variations of particles of Bioglass with two different grain sizes reacted in Tris-buffered solution were analyzed by means of N(2) adsorption/desorption at 77 K and HR-TEM/EDS. A remarkable increase in specific surface area (ssa) was observed after the first hour of dissolution. A plateau value corresponding to an increase of at least 2 orders of magnitude was reached after 2 days of dissolution.

The adsorption of C4 unsaturated hydrocarbons on highly dehydrated silica. An IR-spectroscopic and thermodynamic study.

The adsorptive interaction of 1-butyne and 1-butene with a highly dehydrated pyrogenic silica system has been studied to understand the thermodynamic behavior of the adsorption process by the application of the Langmuir model and of the Van't Hoff equation. In situ FTIR spectroscopy allowed the characterization of the adsorption phenomenon in terms of involved surface sites, gas-volumetric determinations yielded quantitative information relative to the adsorption process, and microcalorimetric results allowed the comparison between calculated and experimental data. K(eq) and Delta(ads)G degrees were obtained from Langmuir's model application; Delta(ads)H data were obtained from the Van't Hoff equation and by the isosteric heats method and were compared with experimental values.

Carbonate formation on bioactive glasses.

The system termed 58S is a sol-gel-synthesized bioactive glass composed of SiO2, CaO, and P2O5, used in medicine as bone prosthetic because, when immersed in a physiological fluid, a layer of hydroxycarbonate apatite is formed on its surface. The mechanism of bioactive glass 58S carbonation was studied in the vacuum by means of in-situ FTIR spectroscopy with the use of CO2, H2O, and CD3CN as probe molecules. The study in the vacuum was necessary to identify both the molecules specifically involved in the carbonation process and the type of carbonates formed.