Synthesis and structural characterization of P2O5–CaO–Na2O sol–gel materials

Ternary phosphate-based glasses in the system P2O5–CaO–Na2O were synthesized using the sol–gel approach. Glasses in this system have the potential for use as bioactive materials. A mixture of mono- and dialkyl phosphate PO(OH)3−x(OC2H5)x (x = 1, 2) and alkoxides of sodium and calcium in an ethylene glycol solution were used as precursors. One of the compositions has also been synthesized by sonocatalysis (application of ultrasonic vibration to the sol). The systems synthesized, which remain fully amorphous even after calcination at 400 °C given the appropriate composition, have been characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermal properties have been examined by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The structure of the phosphate network has been studied as a function of composition using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and 31P MAS NMR.