JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH, cilt.37, sa.2, ss.622-635, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)
Bioactive glass (BG) powders containing europium (Eu3+), gadolinium (Gd3+) and ytterbium (Yb3+) were synthesized through sol-gel process. Effects of the related rare-earth ions on the structural, photoluminescence (PL), and decay characteristics were investigated. In vitro, acellular bioactivity of the synthesized powders was examined in simulated body fluid (SBF). Results revealed that all of the BG powders tested in the study showed PL emission under excitation at 374 nm. Among the rare earth dopants tested in the study, Eu3+-containing samples exhibited the strongest emission intensities and for all the glasses optimum dopant concentration was 3 wt% based on the luminescence properties. The synthesized BG have ability to convert to hydroxyapatite (HA) after immersion in SBF. However, more detailed studies with resolution techniques are needed to confirm these observations, that the BG containing Eu3+, Gd3+, and Yb3+ have the ability to form HA and can be used in biomedical applications.