Effect of La₂O₃ on the physicomechanical behavior of calcium fluoroaluminosilicate glass

Bioactive glasses incorporating lanthanum oxide (La₂O₃) have gained significant interest due to their unique properties and potential for biomedical applications. This study investigates a lanthanum-substituted calcium fluoro-alumino-silicate glass system, assessing its potential in biomedical applications. The glass samples were synthesized through melt-water quenching with varying lanthanum oxide ratios, utilizing calcium oxide derived from clam shells and silica from soda-lime silica glass waste. The study examined the physical and mechanical properties of the resulting samples. Results indicated that increasing lanthanum oxide content led to a reduction in crystallinity, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The presence of La further supported the incorporation of lanthanum oxide within the glass network–O–Si and Al–O–La bonds observed in Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, which may influence the glass’s dissolution and degradation characteristics. However, higher lanthanum oxide content also reduced density, affecting the mechanical properties shown in Figure 4. Vickers microhardness and flexural strength increased due to the network-modifying role of lanthanum oxide, which contributed to enhanced structural rigidity and load-bearing capacity, which increased the glass’s fragility. While enhancing glass-like behavior and potentially increasing bioactivity, the addition of lanthanum oxide adversely impacted the mechanical attributes.