Veneering composites – a thermoanalytical examination

Abstract

Differential thermal analysis and thermal gravimetric analysis were used to characterize veneering composites. Samples weighing 4–20 mg, made from the composite materials Visio-Gem (Espe, Germany), Sinfony (Espe, Germany), Artglass (Kulzer, Germany), Dentacolor (Kulzer, Germany) and Targis (Ivoclar, Liechtenstein), were examined. The samples were subjected to various thermal curing times of between 4 s and 25 min, using the relevant devices of the manufacturers. As a control group, samples of all materials were examined unreacted. In order to avoid post-curing during storage, all samples were subjected, immediately after manufacture, to the appropriate dynamic temperature programme of the thermoanalytical unit at a heating rate of 10 °C min-1. The materials showed specific material characteristics which can, for instance, be used to analyse the curing behaviour of the materials. The position of the glass transition, polymerization and post-polymerization peaks at temperatures between 30 and 100 °C, as well as 150 and 300 °C, and the filler and matrix content, allow the classification of the veneering composites. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers