CHAPTER 3: Dissolution Behaviour of Phosphate Glasses

The key property of biomedical phosphate glasses is their solubility in aqueous solutions. Depending on the composition, they may dissolve completely, and the dissolution rate can be adjusted to suit the application. Although the importance of phosphate glasses compared to bioactive silicate glasses has been small so far, their solubility, which ranges over several orders of magnitude, makes them a promising class of materials for biomedical applications. As phosphate glasses degrade and dissolve, they release ions, such as modifier ions present in the glass, which allows phosphate glasses to be used as controlled-release vehicles for the delivery of therapeutic ions. This chapter looks at the mechanism of phosphate glass dissolution and at ways of adjusting and controlling their solubility.