Effect of zinc oxide doping on in vitro degradation of magnesium silicate bioceramics

In recent years, silicate based bioceramics have drawn much attention because of its biocompatibility and high bio-degradability. In the present study, 0.25 and 0.5 wt% zinc doped magnesium silicate (MgS) ceramics were prepared by solid state synthesis and sintering at 1200 °C for 2 h. In vitro biodegradation study in simulated body fluid (SBF) showed increased weight loss while micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) analysis showed increased porosity for the zinc oxide doped samples. The µ-CT results also indicated interconnected porous structure having pore sizes of nearly 510-580 µm. In vitro cytocompatibility study showed attachment and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells on pure and doped MgS samples. Thus, the present study shows that zinc addition enhances the biodegradability of magnesium silicate and supports cell proliferation, making it a suitable material for temporary bone replacement.