Surface Characterization of Bulk Diopside Prepared by Coprecipitation and Sintering Processes After Immersion in a Simulated Body Fluid

Diopside as a member of pyroxene ceramics family, due to the favorable biocompatibility and bioactivity, is recently taken into consideration in the medical field. Unlike the wet-chemical sol-gel method, little studies have been conducted on the coprecipitation reaction of this silicate. In this paper, the coprecipitation synthesis of diopside, sintering behavior and apatite formation ability by immersion in a simulated body fluid was evaluated. According to the results, the dried powder has an amorphous structure, while heating it at 1100 °C creates a single-phase structure of monoclinic diopside. The spherical shape and submicron dimensions of the powder particles annealed at this temperature justified the proper densification of the material due to pressing and sintering. The assessment of the sintered sample surface after immersion in the simulated body fluid for different periods revealed its suitable in vitro bioactivity, accompanied by the formation of a dense and integrated apatite layer on its surface. This research reflects that the coprecipitation route is a desirable method for the production of dense and bioactive diopside components for potential applications in orthopedic and dental fields.