Phase Formation and Properties of Cu- and Zn-Doped Calcium Silicophosphates with a Glaserite-Type Structure

The results of the synthesis and study of new resorbable osteoinductive calcium silicophosphates doped with copper and zinc ions are presented. Using the high-temperature solid-phase synthesis method, compounds with glaserite-like structures such as nagelschmidtite and carnotite were obtained. It was established that the formation of single-phase copper-zinc-substituted silicophosphates requires synthesis at ~1500°C in an oxygen stream with preliminary calcination at 1000°C. Hydrolysis of the resulting compounds in aqueous solution provides a final pH of ~7.4–7.8, which meets physiological requirements. The solubility of these phases in a model solution of citric acid is significantly higher than that of traditional β-Ca3(PO4)2, which classifies the new materials as highly resorbable. The resulting ceramics have a density of about 80% of the theoretical value with grain sizes of 2–3 µm. The development of Cu,Zn-containing silicophosphates expands the concept of multicomponent bioceramics and offers a promising material with controlled resorption properties and improved biological activity for use in regenerative medicine.