A method of forming a dissolvable part of amorphous borate includes: preparing a mixture comprising one or more boron compounds and one or more alkali compounds, at least one of the one or more boron compounds and the one or more alkali compounds being hydrous; heating the mixture to a melting temperature for a predetermined time to melt the mixture and release water from the mixture to form an anhydrous boron compound that is moldable, wherein the amount of alkali compound being selected to achieve an alkali oxide content of between about 10 to 25%; with the anhydrous boron compound at a molding temperature, molding the anhydrous boron compound in a mold; and cooling the anhydrous boron compound to form a solid.

The present invention relates Inorganic fibres having a composition comprising: 61.0 to 70.8 wt % SiO.sub.2; 27.0 to 38.9 wt % CaO; 0.10 to 2.0 wt % MgO; and optionally, an amount of other components providing a balance up to 100 wt %. A sum of SiO.sub.2 and CaO is greater than or equal to 97.8 wt % and wherein the amount of the other components, when present, comprise no more than 0.80 wt % Al.sub.2O.sub.3.

A material, especially a glassy material of pyrophosphate type, corresponding to the general formula (I): {[(M.sup.2+).sub.1x(R.sup.+).sub.2x].sub.2[(P.sub.2O.sub.7.sup.4).sub.1y(PO.sub.4.sup.3).sub.4y/3]} n(H.sub.2O) in which x and y are positive rational numbers each between 0 and 0.8, and n is such that the weight percentage of water in the material is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 95. M.sup.2+ represents a bivalent ion of a metal chosen from calcium, magnesium, strontium, copper, zinc, cobalt, manganese and nickel, or any mixture of such bivalent ions. R.sup.+ represents a monovalent ion of a metal selected from potassium, lithium, sodium, and silver, or any mixture of such monovalent ions. This material in particular can be used in manufacturing of bone replacements or prosthesis coatings.

A glass, glass ceramic, or ceramic bead is described, with an internal porous scaffold microstructure that is surrounded be an amorphous shield. The shield serves to protect the internal porous microstructure of the shield while increasing the overall strength of the porous microstructure and improve the flowability of the beads either by themselves or in devices such as biologically degradable putty that would be used in bone or soft tissue augmentation or regeneration. The open porosity present inside the bead will allow for enhanced degradability in-vivo as compared to solid particles or spheres and also promote the growth of tissues including but not limited to all types of bone, soft tissue, blood vessels and nerves.

A solid state method of producing inorganic nanoparticles using glass is disclosed. The nanoparticles may not be formed until the glass is reacted with or degraded by contact with a fluid in vivo or in vitro.

A bioactive glass composition including: 50 to 70% SiO.sub.2; 0.1 to 10% Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 5 to 30% Na.sub.2O, 0.1 to 15% K.sub.2O, 0.1 to 15% MgO, 0.1 to 20% CaO, and 5 to 10% P.sub.2O.sub.5, based on a 100 wt % of the composition. Also disclosed is a method of making the bioactive glass composition.

Methods of making a bioactive glass fiber include forming a melt of a glass composition including: 50 to 70% SiO.sub.2; 0.1 to 10% Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 5 to 30% Na.sub.2O, 0.1 to 15% K.sub.2O, 0.1 to 15% MgO, 0.1 to 20% CaO, and 5 to 10% P.sub.2O.sub.5, based on a 100 wt % of the glass composition. The melt has a viscosity of from 200 Poise to 2,000 Poise. Methods include drawing the melt into a drawn glass fiber. Bioactive glass compositions include: 60 to 70% SiO.sub.2; 15 to 30% Na.sub.2O, 5 to 15% K.sub.2O, 1 to 10% CaO, and 5 to 10% P.sub.2O.sub.5, based on a 100 wt % of the glass composition.

An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components and which further includes intended addition of lithium oxide to improve the thermal stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at 1260? C. and greater, low linear shrinkage, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

A glass, glass-ceramic, or ceramic bead is described, with an internal porous scaffold microstructure that is surrounded by an amorphous shield. The shield serves to protect the internal porous microstructure of the shield while increasing the overall strength of the porous microstructure and improve the flowability of the beads either by themselves or in devices such as biologically degradable putty that would be used in bone or soft tissue augmentation or regeneration. The open porosity present inside the bead will allow for enhanced degradability in-vivo as compared to solid particles or spheres and also promote the growth of tissues including but not limited to all types of bone, soft tissue, blood vessels, and nerves.

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.