Bioactive glass preparation and use

Abstract

A process of preparing a glass comprising: (a) heating a mixture of precursor chemicals to a melt temperature to form a melt, the melt being characterized in that quenching the melt at or above a threshold temperature results in a spinodal phase seperation, and quenching the melt below the threshold temperature results in a droplet phase seperation; and (b) quenching the melt at or above the threshold temperature in a preheated mold to form the glass composition having the spinodal phase seperation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A glass composition prepared from the process comprising:
 heating a mixture of chemicals to a melt temperature to form a melt, said melt being characterized in that quenching said melt at or above a threshold temperature results in a spinodal phase seperation, and quenching said melt below said threshold temperature results in a droplet phase seperation; and   quenching said melt at or above said threshold temperature in a preheated mold to form said glass composition having said spinodal phase seperation.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said melt temperature is about 1400 to about 1600° C. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said threshold temperature is no less than about 86% of said melt temperature 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said melt temperature is about 1450 to about 1550° C. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said threshold temperature is no less than about 88.5% of said melt temperature 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein said threshold temperature is no less than about 89% of said melt temperature 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said glass comprises 45S5 bioglass. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein threshold temperature is no less than about 1375° C. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein said threshold temperature ranges from 1375 to 1550° C. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein said threshold temperature ranges from about 1375 to about 1380° C. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said preheated mold is preheated to about 100 to about 300° C. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising calcining said mixture before forming said melt. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling said mixture from said melt temperature before quenching. 
     
     
         14 . A process of preparing a glass comprising:
 heating a mixture of chemicals to a melt temperature to form a melt, said melt being characterized in that quenching said melt at or above a threshold temperature results in a spinodal phase seperation, and quenching said melt below said threshold temperature results in a droplet phase seperation; and   quenching said melt at or above said threshold temperature in a preheated mold to form said glass composition having said spinodal phase seperation.   
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said melt temperature is about 1400 to about 1600° C. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said threshold temperature ranges from 1375° C. to about 1550° C. 
     
     
         17 . A method of using a glass to promote bioactivity, said method comprising:
 disposing said glass composition in a cellular environment, said glass being prepared by a process comprising at least:
 heating a mixture of chemicals to a melt temperature to form a melt, said melt being characterized in that quenching said melt at or above a threshold temperature results in a spinodal phase seperation, and quenching said melt below said threshold temperature results in a droplet phase seperation; and 
 quenching said melt at or above said threshold temperature in a preheated mold to form said glass composition having said spinodal phase seperation; and 
   facilitating cellular attachment and proliferation on said glass composition.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said cellular proliferation is greater than that on glass having formed from the same said mixture but with said droplet phase seperation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said cellular environment is a body of an animal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein facilitating cellular attachment comprises sustaining the life of said animal.