**1. Introduction**

Biomaterials present specific group of materials, about different composition, structure and properties, which, are accepted by human organism, but some of them (like hydroxyapatite ceramics, bioglass, bioglass – ceramics, modified carbon materials) make connections with alive tissue or take part in its regeneration (Hench L.L. 1998, Krajewski A., Ravaglioli A. 2002).

From historical point of view application of synthetic material for repair of human body are dated from thousand years. It has been discovered, that some Egyptian mummies had dentist denture executed from gold. The first reports about application of ivory as an implementation materials was found in a Greek mythology (Błażewicz S., Stoch L. 2003).

It needs to be mentioned that clinical attempts of refilling of wastes of tissues and bones using a different type of material was initiated before centuries. However, real medical treatment with implementation product manufactured in commercial scale was started in the twentieth century.

In 1902 gold capsules were used for manufactured prostheses of head of femur. From this moment systematical researches on the insertion materials were done. For this group we can classify cobalt – chromium – nickel alloys (Vitallium) that are used in the orthopedics till now (as plates, nails, screws for special applications, dentist implants). Production of polymer materials opened new possibilities.

From 1930 polymetacrylan methylu (PMMA) has been used in the dentistry as a cement fulfills and in the jointing process of metallic bones prostheses, particularly in the case of hip and knee joints.

Application of corundum material by Boutin in the 1972, for manufacturing the elements of joint prostheses was the crucial moment. The following properties have revolutionized the quality of the prostheses: high strength, low friction coefficient, low degree of wear and good biocompatibility (Jaegermann Z., Ślósarczyk A. 2007)

The corundum bioceramics manufactured in different forms (dense, macro and micro porosity) makes many functions during the repair intervention. However, use of many of these materials has experimental character and they are on the clinical stage, there is also

Biocompatible Ceramic – Glass Composite –

(Niżankowski Cz. 2002, Markul J. 2008).

Company.

30 hours.

structure.

the following phases were identified: α – Al2O3 with romboedric structure

δ – Al2O3 with orthorombic structure

kappa – Al2O3 with orthoromboedrical structure

Manufacturing and Selected Physical – Mechanical Properties 229

process of aluminum oxide by using Mg0, L2O3, Nd2O3, Y2O3 as modificators. Abrasive grains consist of Al2O3 plates about 0.5 – 1 µm joint by needle bridge of MgLaAl11O19 spinel type. Submicrocrystalline sintered corundum grains have in comparison to conventional corundum materials higher strength (90 MPa, conventional 85 MPa), hardness (20 – 22,5 GPa, conventional 18,5 – 21 GPa) with simultenous increase of fracture toughness. Commercial names of these materials are cubitron, Seeded Gel and Blue Sapphire

The submicrocrystalline sintered corundum grains about 150 granulation (125-150 µm) have microhardness of 21.5 Gpa. They were milled for 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 hours in the planetary mill Pulverisette 6 type produced by Fritsch Company, in the agate chamber with agate balls in the ethanol addition as a slide agent. The grains samples were removed from the chamber after determined times (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 hours) and taken for the further research procedure. The X – ray research works were conducted on the PW 1710 X – ray diffractometer with cobalt lamp at the range of 2ʘ angle from 20o – 90o. The phase identification and calculation of percentage contents and structure parameters were done using EVA program by Brucker

Fig. 1. The X – ray diffraction images of the samples before and after milling for 10, 15, 25,

Basing on this this research in the initial samples of submicrocrystalline sintered corundum

non – stoichiometric (spinel) compound – (Mg 0,03 Al 0,35) (Al 1,68 Mg 0,30) O4 with cubic

another big, commercial group of products that are applied in the clinical practice (Biolox, Synatite, Endobone, Neobone, Cerabone) (Jaegermann Z., Ślósarczyk A. 2007, Jaegermann Z., et al ,2006).

The newest trend in the regenerative medicine area is tissue engineering, which aimes to obtain medicines and decrease number of complications.

Biocompatible alumina composites are a new generation of ceramic glass materials used in tissue engineering (Jaegermann Z. 2005, Szarska S., et al, 2008 Staniewicz – Brudnik B. et al, 2010). Biomaterials substrates (inorganic, polymeric, hybrid) are two – or three dimensional scaffold, which inhabits the cells (eg fibroblasts) by growing them in vitro, and then the resulting product material and cell is implanted in place of the defect (Chen Q. Z., et al 2008, Brovarone C., Verne E. 2006). The main task of such a scaffold is the physical support for cells and the control of their proliferation, differentiation and morphogenesis (Sachlos E., Czernuszka J. T. 2003).

The basic criteria that should have the substrates (Teramoto H., et al, 2005, Staniewicz – Brudnik B., Lekka M., Bączek E. 2010, Czechowska J., Ślósarczyk A. 2011) are formulated as follows:


Taking into considerations all these above requirements the substrates were synthesized, which are biocompatible corundum glass system composites. Biocomposites by combining the characteristics of these materials (Al203, glass) allow to achieve unique properties such as high mechanical strength, crack resistance, high biocompatibility and bioactivity (Hee – Gon B., et al, 2008, Abo – Mosallam H.A., et al, 2009).

The aim of our work is to obtain corundum- glass biocomposites – meeting the above criteria, obtained in a simple, inexpensive and energy efficient way.

The usefulness verification of new substrates was based on short -term cultures of fibroblast human skin of CCL 110 line from Prochem company and mouse preosteoblasts MC3T3 – E1 Subclone14 from the same company.
