A sol-gel bioactive glass precursor, method for making sol-gel glasses, resultant sol-gel bioactive glasses, and methods of use thereof, which include introducing Na.sub.2O into the glass network during the sol-gel process through the use of Na-ethoxide, NaCI, or sodium silicate rather than sodium nitrate. Medical and industrial uses of such glasses.

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 separation, and quenching the melt below the threshold temperature results in a droplet phase separation; and (b) quenching the melt at or above the threshold temperature in a preheated mold to form the glass composition having the spinodal phase separation.

A three-dimensional scaffold with interconnected pores for repair of tissue comprising a scaffold body for structural support of the tissue scaffold, where the scaffold body comprises scaffold body components bonded to each other and made from component materials comprising about 40 to about 90 wt % B.sub.2O.sub.3, and two or more other oxides, wherein the scaffold body has a porosity between about 15 and about 90 vol %.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for making germanium-based glass polyalkenoate cements. Also disclosed are methods for their use as bone cements for bone augmentation procedures.

Methods for synthesis of nanocrystalline apatites are presented, as well as a series of specific reaction parameters that can be adjusted to tailor, in specific ways, properties in the recovered product. Particulate apatite compositions having average crystal size of less than 150 nm are provided. Products also can have a surface area of at least 40 m.sup.2/g and can be of high density. Hydroxyapatite material is investigated in particular detail. Compositions of the invention can be used as prosthetic implants and coatings for prosthetic implants.

A method for forming fluorite from a F.sup.-containing aqueous fluid, the method comprising: contacting a bioactive glass comprising calcium with the F.sup.-containing aqueous fluid; and forming the fluorite. A filter media, and filter containing the filter media, for forming fluorite from a F.sup.-containing aqueous fluid, the filter media comprising: a bioactive glass comprising calcium; and at least one of sand, gravel, charcoal, polymer particles, and ceramic particles.

A glass-ceramic composition includes a first crystalline phase including lithium disilicate; and a second crystalline phase comprising at least one of: zircon, zirconia, apatite, or a combination thereof.

The present invention relates to a glass ceramic composition comprising SiO.sub.2, Ca(OH).sub.2, CaF.sub.2, B.sub.2O.sub.3, MgO, and hydroxyapatite; a bioactive crystallized glass ceramic comprising each of CaSiO.sub.3, Ca.sub.10(PO.sub.4).sub.6(OH).sub.2, and CaMgSi.sub.2O.sub.6 in an amount of 20% to 60% by weight; an implant for early osseointegration comprising the glass ceramic; and a method for manufacturing the implant.

The disclosure provides a method of producing a mesoporous phosphate-based glass. The method comprises (a) contacting a phosphate with an alcohol and/or a glycol ether to create a reaction mixture; (b) contacting the reaction mixture with alkali metal cations and/or alkaline earth metal cations; (c) contacting the alcohol, the glycol ether or the reaction mixture with a surfactant, wherein the surfactant is configured to provide channel-like pores in the resultant mesoporous phosphate-based glass; (d) allowing the reaction mixture to gel; and (e) calcinating the gel to obtain the mesoporous phosphate-based glass.