Chapter 3: Introduction to the Structure of Silicate, Phosphate and Borate Glasses

Despite glasses having an amorphous structure, their atoms are arranged in a certain short-range order and in superstructural units such as chains or rings. Variations in this atomic arrangement depend on the glass composition and directly influence glass properties, including thermal behaviour or dissolution rates. This chapter describes the structure and properties of three important groups of melt-derived glasses used as biomaterials: silicate, phosphate and borate glasses, as well as some commonly used mixed glass former systems, including phosphosilicate and borosilicate glasses. In addition, the structural features of sol–gel derived silicate glasses are considered.