Biaxial flexural strength and phase transformation of Ce-TZP/Al2O3 and Y-TZP core materials after thermocycling and mechanical loading.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of thermocycling and mechanical loading on the biaxial flexural strength and the phase transformation of one Ce-TZP/Al2O3 and two Y-TZP core materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty disc-shaped specimens were obtained from each material. The specimens were randomly divided into three groups (control, thermocycled, and mechanically loaded). Thermocycling was subjected in distilled water for 10000 cycles. Mechanical loading was subjected with 200 N loads at a frequency of 2 Hz for 100000 times. The mean biaxial flexural strength and phase transformation of the specimens were tested. The Weibull modulus, characteristic strength, 10%, 5% and 1% probabilities of failure were calculated using the biaxial flexural strength data. RESULTS: The characteristic strengths of Ce-TZP/Al2O3 specimens were significantly higher in all groups compared with the other tested materials (P<.001). Statistical results of X-ray diffraction showed that thermocycling and mechanical loading did not affect the monoclinic phase content of the materials. According to Raman spectroscopy results, at the same point and the same material, mechanical loading significantly affected the phase fraction of all materials (P<.05). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that thermocycling and mechanical loading did not show negative effect on the mean biaxial strength of the tested materials.

Effect of fatigue on fracture toughness and phase transformation of Y-TZP ceramics by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fatigue on fracture toughness and phase transformation of yttria-stabilized zirconia polycrystal materials (Cercon and Lava). The specimens were tested for indentation fracture toughness either with or without being subjected to fatigue (20,000 cycles, 2 Hz, 200 N load). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to examine the phase composition of specimens. The indentation images were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy at indentation center (p1), indentation corner (p2), points on crack 100 µm (p3), and 200 µm (p4) away from the corner and a point ∼80 µm away from the crack (p5). Fracture toughness results were statistically analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA); XRD and Raman spectroscopy results were analyzed by three-way ANOVA. Fracture toughness of Cercon control (CC) and fatigue (CF) groups were 6.8 and 6.9 MPa√m, respectively, with no significant difference (p > 0.01). Fracture toughness of Lava fatigue (LF; 7.3 MPa√m) was significantly higher than Lava control (LC; p < 0.01). XRD analyses showed CC and LC consisted of tetragonal zirconia, monoclinic zirconia detected after fatigue. After indentation, relative amount of monoclinic phase significantly increased in CC, CF, and LC; decreased in LF. The Raman spectroscopy results indicated that monoclinic fraction was the highest at p2, subsequently at p1 and decreased at p3, p4, and p5 for all groups. Mechanical cycling increased fracture toughness of Cercon and Lava, the second being significant. Phase transformation was also detected after fatigue, which is higher in Lava. Analysis of indentations showed that transformation was highest was at the corner, second at center.

Effect of fatigue on biaxial flexural strength of bilayered porcelain/zirconia (Y-TZP) dental ceramics.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fatigue on biaxial flexural strength of bilayered disks of two Y-TZP cores. METHODS: Twenty bilayered veneer/zirconia disks were fabricated from each material (Lava veneer+core, 3M/ESPE, and Cercon veneer+core, Densply). Ten specimens from each material were tested for biaxial flexural strength either with or without being subjected to fatigue (20,000 cycles, 2 Hz, 200 N load) in a universal testing machine (1mm/min). Stresses generated at the core and the veneer, at the top and the bottom surfaces, and the interface of bilayered disk were calculated using Huesh's solutions. Data were statistically analyzed using Weibull statistics. The fractured core was also examined via Raman spectroscopy and the monoclinic fraction was calculated at the top, the middle of thickness, and the bottom of the cross-section of fractured core. The results of monoclinic fraction were statistically analyzed by Three-Factor ANOVA with Repeated Measures on One Factor. RESULTS: Weibull modulus (m) of Cercon control (CC), Cercon fatigue (CF), Lava control (LC) and Lava fatigue (LF) were between 11.8 and 14.3, 7.1 and 13.1, 9.4 and 13, and 7.1 and 8.2, respectively. There were no significant differences between characteristic strength (σ(0)) of CC (970.9 MPa) and CF (947.7 MPa) (p>0.05). For Lava, σ(0) of LF (1444.8 MPa) was significantly higher than LC (1240.5 MPa) (p<0.05). At the interfaces, σ(0) values of CC and CF groups were not significantly different while LF showed significantly higher σ(0) than LC. The monoclinic zirconia was significantly lower for CF than CC and significantly higher for LF than LC. SIGNIFICANCE: Fatigue showed different effects on the strength of Cercon and Lava ceramic systems. Decreases in m values were observed at the interfaces of two materials after fatigue.