Preparation and bioactivity in vitro of hierarchically porous bioactive glass using coral as scaffold

A three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous bioactive glass with macropore size of 300-500 μm and mesopore size of 4.6 nm was prepared using coral as scaffold. The bioactivity of the material was investigated by the formation of a hydroxyapatite (HAP) layer on the surface of the material in vitro. The sample can induce the formation of HAP in a very short time (within 4 h) by soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF), and after 12 h soaking, HAP has fully covered the surface of the sample. The flower-like and rod-like nanostructures of HAP can be observed in 4 and 12 h, that is, different morphologies of HAP nanostructures may be obtained by using this simple method. The material not only shows good bioactivity but also retains the mechanical properties of the coral; the novel material may be a promising bioactive material for bone repair.