Aluminoborophosphate glasses and glass-ceramics doped with magnesium oxide: Structural, thermal, in vitro dissolution, and cytotoxicity studies

This study explores the effects of Mg²⁺ ion incorporation and nanocrystalline phases formation on the structure and in vitro dissolution behavior of aluminoborophosphate glasses and glass-ceramics. Two series of MgO-doped samples were prepared via melt-quenching, either in water or on a metal plate, yielding amorphous and partially crystalline materials, respectively. Structural and thermal analyses revealed that increasing MgO content enhanced glass transition and crystallization temperatures and promoted nanocrystal formation. In vitro dissolution tests in phosphate-buffered saline showed that the glass-ceramics dissolved up to five times faster than their amorphous counterparts, with calcium phosphate layers, likely apatite-like phases, forming predominantly on high-Mg samples. Cytotoxicity studies using HUVEC cells indicated that the glass samples were non-cytotoxic under all tested conditions, while the glass-ceramics exhibited composition and concentration dependent effects. These findings highlights the potential of Mg²⁺ doping and partial crystallization to tailor the bioactivity and dissolution behavior of aluminoborophosphate-based materials.