Biomimetic Bi3+ Substituted Borate Bioactive Glasses for Bone Tissue Engineering Via Enhanced Biological and Antimicrobial Activity

Biomimetic borate-based bioactive glasses (BAGs), substituted with metal oxides, serve as prominent candidates for the repair and regeneration of both hard and soft tissues. In the current study, bismuth mixed borate BAGs (60-X) B2O3–25CaO–15Na2O–XBi2O3 (X = 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10 mol.%) were synthesized using melt-quench method and systematically evaluated for their structural properties, followed by in-vitro biological performance and enhanced antimicrobial activity, using various characterization techniques and bioassays. The BAG structure was studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. The density and mechanical properties of the BAGs were found to increase with increase in bismuth content of the borate glass network. The XPS analysis confirmed the presence of Bi3+ ions embedded in the glass network. From DTA, it is noticed that the glass transition temperature (Tg) decreased and thermal stability (ΔT) values increased, with increased Bi2O3 content. Further, the bioactivity via hydroxy apatite (HAp) layer formation was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR, scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive spectra (SEM-EDS) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM), both before and after soaking the glass samples in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 0, 7, 14, and 21 days. The results revealed that Bi3+ modified borate BAGs exhibited good HAp layer formation on their surfaces upon immersion in SBF solution. Moreover, the pH variation and degradation followed a trend, with increased in immersion time and decrease with Bi2O3 content. Lastly, in vitro cell culture tests on MG-63 osteoblast-like cells demonstrated that the as-developed BAGs were non-toxic and cytocompatible in nature; in addition, they also displayed demonstrable antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli bacterial strains. Thus, the developed Bi2O3 mixed borate BAGs become suitable candidates for bone substitutes, especially for bone tissue regeneration and repair applications.