Computational insight into the effect of CaO/MgO Substitution on the Structural Properties of Phospho-Silicate Bioactive Glasses.

The effect of the replacement of CaO for MgO on the structural properties of the 45S5 Bioglass with composition 46.2SiO2·24.3Na2O·(26.9 − x)CaO·2.6P2O5·xMgO where x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 26.9 mol has been studied by means of molecular dynamics simulations. The results confirmed the complexity of the local environment of Mg ions which are coordinated by 5 nonbridging oxygens of different TO4 tetrahedra (T = Si/P) leading to large rings in the structures. A rough correlation between the average dimension of the rings found in the structure and the computed Young’s modulus is obtained. The Young’s modulus decrease at low Mg-content reaching a minimum for the 46.2SiO2·24.3Na2O·16.9CaO·2.6P2O5·10MgO glass. At this composition, Mg is homogeneously distributed in the silica rich region together with Ca and Na ions but is almost totally absent from the Ca−Na-phosphate rich regions. The results suggest that the ideal glass composition for lowering the Young’s modulus preserving a specific bioactivity can be found below 10% of MgO content.