Synthesis of hollow mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres with tunable shell thickness by hydrothermal-assisted self-transformation method

Hollow mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres (HMBGMs) were fabricated via a hydrothermal-assisted self-transformation method employing cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as a mesoporous template. The morphology, structure, particle size and specific surface area of HMBGMs were characterized by various methods. The results demonstrated that the solid BG spheres prepared in a Sto¨ber solution could spontaneously transform to hollow structure by incubating in hydrothermal condition. Meanwhile, the shell thickness of HMBGMs could be controlled by the hydrothermal time. In vitro drug release studies demonstrated that the HMBGMs exhibited a sustained release property. The obtained HMBGMs may have potential applications in drug delivery and bone tissue regeneration.