Influence of hydrofluoric acid concentration on the flexural strength of a feldspathic ceramic.

This study evaluated the effects of etching with increasing hydrofluoric (HF) acid concentrations on the roughness and flexural strength of a feldspathic ceramic. One hundred and fifty ceramic specimens (14×4×1.2 mm(2)) were produced from ceramic blocks (VitaBlocks Mark II). All specimens were polished, chamfered and sonically cleaned in isopropyl alcohol. Specimens were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=30): SC (control) no ceramic surface etching; HF1, HF3, HF5 and HF10 ceramic surface etching for 60s with 1%, 3%, 5% and 10% HF acid concentrations, respectively. Profilometry was performed in all specimens to evaluate roughness prior to flexural strength testing. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey׳s test (α=0.05). Weibull module (m) and characteristic stress (σc) were also determined. HF acid etching, regardless of the concentration used, led to significantly rougher surfaces than the control (p<0.05). However, the mean flexural strength values were not statistically different among the etched groups (106.47 to 102.02 MPa). Acid etching significantly reduced the mean flexural strength when compared with the control (143.3 MPa). Weibull modulus of the groups was similar, except for the HF5 group that was higher compared to HF3. Flexural strength was similarly affected by the different HF acid concentrations tested, but roughness increased higher the acid concentration. Ceramic etching led to a significant reduction in strength when compared to the untreated ceramic, regardless of its concentration.

Effect of air-particle abrasion protocols on the biaxial flexural strength, surface characteristics and phase transformation of zirconia after cyclic loading.

This study evaluated the effect of air-particle abrasion protocols on the biaxial flexural strength, surface characteristics and phase transformation of zirconia after cyclic loading. Disc-shaped zirconia specimens (Ø: 15mm, thickness: 1.2mm) (N=32) were submitted to one of the air-particle abrasion protocols (n=8 per group): (a) 50µm Al2O3 particles, (b) 110µm Al2O3 particles coated with silica (Rocatec Plus), (c) 30µm Al2O3 particles coated with silica (CoJet Sand) for 20s at 2.8bar pressure. Control group received no air-abrasion. All specimens were initially cyclic loaded (×20,000, 50N, 1Hz) in water at 37°C and then subjected to biaxial flexural strength testing where the conditioned surface was under tension. Zirconia surfaces were characterized and roughness was measured with 3D surface profilometer. Phase transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic was determined by Raman spectroscopy. The relative amount of transformed monoclinic zirconia (FM) and transformed zone depth (TZD) were measured using XRD. The data (MPa) were analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey's tests and Weibull modulus (m) were calculated for each group (95% CI). The biaxial flexural strength (MPa) of CoJet treated group (1266.3±158(A)) was not significantly different than that of Rocatec Plus group (1179±216.4(A,B)) but was significantly higher than the other groups (Control: 942.3±74.6(C); 50µm Al2O3: 915.2±185.7(B,C)). Weibull modulus was higher for control (m=13.79) than those of other groups (m=4.95, m=5.64, m=9.13 for group a, b and c, respectively). Surface roughness (Ra) was the highest with 50µm Al2O3 (0.261µm) than those of other groups (0.15-0.195µm). After all air-abrasion protocols, FM increased (15.02%-19.25%) compared to control group (11.12%). TZD also showed increase after air-abrasion protocols (0.83-1.07µm) compared to control group (0.59µm). Air-abrasion protocols increased the roughness and monoclinic phase but in turn abrasion with 30µm Al2O3 particles coated with silica has increased the biaxial flexural strength of the tested zirconia.