Medical glass element

Abstract

A material that is less populated by biofilms than known materials and is well tolerated by the body is provided. The material is an element introducible into or attachable on a human or animal body and includes a glass and/or glass ceramic and/or ceramic material at least in some areas thereof, which inhibits the formation of biofilms and/or on which human or animal cells grow if the element is introduced into the human or animal body or attached thereto, wherein the glass and/or glass ceramic material comprises at least: SiO 2 in a range from 60 to 75 wt % and ZnO in a range from 1 to 7 wt %.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A structural article, comprising a material of glass, glass ceramic, or ceramic having
 SiO 2  in a range from 60 to 75 wt %,   ZnO in a range from 1 to 7 wt %,   Al 2 O 3  in a range from 1 to 6 wt %, and   wherein the material exhibits a property selected from the group consisting of antibacterial, cytocompatible, hemocompatible, inhibitory against biofilm formation, and a combination of two or more of the foregoing.   
     
     
         2 . The structural article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the glass and/or glass ceramic and/or ceramic material comprises:
 SiO 2  in a range from 60 to 70 wt %,   Al 2 O 3  in a range from 1 to 5 wt %,   B 2 O 3  in a range from 0 to 10 wt %,   TiO 2  in a range from 0 to 8 wt %,   FeO in a range from 0 to 5 wt %, and   Na 2 O in a range from 2 to 10 wt %, and/or   K 2 O in a range from 3.5 to 10 wt %.   
     
     
         3 . The structural article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the glass and/or glass ceramic and/or ceramic material comprises:
 a content of Ag of less than 0.3 wt %; and/or   a content of P 2 O 5  of less than 0.5 wt %; and/or   a content of F of less than 1 wt %.   
     
     
         4 . The structural article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the glass and/or glass ceramic and/or ceramic material is configured as an element introducible into a human or animal body. 
     
     
         5 . The structural article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the glass and/or glass ceramic and/or ceramic material is configured as an element implantable into a human or animal body. 
     
     
         6 . The structural article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the glass and/or glass ceramic and/or ceramic material is configured as an element attachable on a human or animal body. 
     
     
         7 . The structural article as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the glass and/or glass ceramic and/or ceramic material is configured as an element selected from the group consisting of an implant, a casing feedthrough of an implant, a vascular support, a stent, a catheter, an artificial heart valve, a casing of a transponder, a casing of a defibrillator, a casing of a pacemaker, a lab-on-chip, and a contact lens. 
     
     
         8 . The structural article of a material as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the material comprises
 SiO 2  in a range from 62 to 66 wt %,   Al 2 O 3  in a range from 3.8 to 4.5 wt %,   B 2 O 3  in a range from 0 to 10 wt %,   TiO 2  in a range from 3.5 to 4.5 wt %,   ZnO in a range from 5 to 7 wt %,   FeO in a range from 0.001 to 0.005 wt %,   Na 2 O in a range from 5.9 to 6.5 wt %,   K 2 O in a range from 8.3 to 9.1 wt %, and   SeO 2  in a range from 0 to 0.04 wt %.   
     
     
         9 . The structural article of  claim 1 , wherein the property is antibacterial. 
     
     
         10 . The structural article of  claim 1 , wherein the property is cytocompatible. 
     
     
         11 . The structural article of  claim 1 , wherein the property is hemocompatible. 
     
     
         12 . The structural article of  claim 1 , wherein the property is inhibitory against biofilm formation.