The present invention relates to inorganic fibres having a composition comprising: 61.0 to 70.8 wt% SiO.sub.2; 28.0 to 39.0 wt% CaO; 0.10 to 0.85 wt% MgO other components, if any, providing the balance up to 100 wt %,

The sum of SiO.sub.2 and CaO is greater than or equal to 98.8 wt % and the other components comprise less than 0.70 wt % Al.sub.2O.sub.3, if any.

An inorganic fiber containing silica, alumina, one or more alkali metal oxides, and one or more of alkaline earth metal oxides, transition metal oxides, or lanthanide series metal oxides. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at use temperatures of 1260° C. and greater, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperatures, is free of crystalline silica upon devitrification, is alkali flux resistant, exhibits low bio-persistence in an acidic medium, and exhibits low dissolution in a neutral medium. Also provided are thermal insulation products incorporating the inorganic fibers, a method for preparing the inorganic fiber and a method of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from the inorganic fibers.

The invention discloses porous, bioactive glass and glass ceramic morsels or pellets to be used as tissue graft substitute materials and processes for obtaining the same wherein the bioactive glass and glass ceramic morsels or pellets are made up of natural agents like phosphate, calcium, sodium and other elements which are not alien to the human or animal body. The said preparation process encompasses various steps like quenching sintering, foaming, and sol-gel casting which render the glass morsels or pellets unique bioactivity and enhanced porosity which may facilitate tissue repair and augmentation during tissue graft replacement.

Disclosed are biodegradable glass substrates that are useful as functional elements of solid-state devices. In particular, biodegradable glass substrates having a rapidly degradable glass and a slowly degradable glass provide a structural platform that completely dissolves following a desired operational lifetime of devices such as implanted electronic devices, implanted sensor devices, and optical fibers.

Apparatus and methods for forming melt-formed fibres and melt-formed biosoluble fibers are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a spinning head comprising one or more rotors; a plurality of nozzles or slots disposed around at least part of the one or more rotors; a conveyor; and a barrier between the spinning head and the conveyor.

An article for use as a bone or dental implant and a method of forming said article that includes immersing a silica-based glass substrate in a liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium includes a phosphate source at a concentration of at least about 0.1 moles per liter. The immersing is conducted to convert at least a portion of the silica-based glass substrate into brushite and form the article, wherein the article includes a brushite portion including brushite crystals and a residual glass portion.

A composition comprising glass containing both trivalent cerium oxide and tetravalent cerium oxide states nano particles. A soluble sodium borate glass comprising cerium oxide that is stable against crystallizations, the cerium oxide comprising both trivalent Ce.sup.3+ (Ce.sub.2O.sub.3) and tetravalent Ce.sup.4+ (CeO.sub.2) states, wherein the cerium oxide nano particles are configured to be released when the glass is dissolved.

Mineral fibers that exhibit a chemical composition comprising the following constituents, as percentages by weight: TABLE-US-00001 SiO.sub.2 57.0 to 60.0%, CaO 25.0 to 30.0%, MgO >8.0 to 10.0%, B.sub.2O.sub.3 2.5 to 6.0%, R.sub.2O up to 2.5% Al.sub.2O.sub.3 0 to 2.0%, and an R.sub.2O/B.sub.2O.sub.3 molar ratio of 0.20 to 0.60.

An aluminoborate composition, an alumino-borosilicate glass composition, or a mixture thereof, and solid or hollow microspheres thereof, as defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the disclosed compositions, for example, forming microspheres for use in bioactive applications, and composition extracts for use in treating or healing wounds.

Mineral fibers that exhibit a chemical composition comprising the following constituents, as percentages by weight:

TABLE-US-00001 SiO.sub.2 57.0 to 60.0%, CaO 25.0 to 30.0%, MgO >8.0 to 10.0%, B.sub.2O.sub.3 2.5 to 6.0%, R.sub.2O up to 2.5% Al.sub.2O.sub.3 0 to 2.0%,

and an R.sub.2O/B.sub.2O.sub.3 molar ratio of 0.20 to 0.60.