Hydratation mechanism of a zinc phosphate cement and development of its mechanical profile

• Published in: Research on chemical intermediates Vol. 39; no. 7; pp. 3117 - 3126
• Main Authors: Jabri, M., Mejdoubi, E., El Gadi, M., Hammouti, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-09-2013
• Subjects: Catalysis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Inorganic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Hopeïte; Zinc phosphate; Dentistry; Setting time; Hardness; Aluminium phosphate
• ISSN: 0922-6168; 1568-5675
• DOI: 10.1007/s11164-012-0824-2

The main objective of this study is to understand the setting mechanism of a zinc phosphate cement and the development of its mechanical hardness. This cement is widely used in dentistry and is composed of solid phase cement containing zinc oxide (ZnO) and aluminium phosphate AlPO
4
·n
H
2
O, and then liquid phase cement which is composed of phosphoric acid and water. The setting of the cement is due to a mixture of both phases together. In this optic, the control of the effect of different compounds in setting mechanism and hardness is carried out by using several investigation methods such as ESM, XRD, IR, TGA, and DTA. For this study, we explain in detail each phase of the cement process, such as the preparation of raw materials, their mixing, the introduction of the solid phase of cement to the liquid phase, and then the hardening of the cement. The results obtained show the effect of powder size on the setting reaction of the cement and show that aluminium phosphate had an interesting effect on the hardening and setting time of the cement. The X-ray diffraction showed that the principal phase of the hydratation product, which is Hopeïte, is available in the mixture of initial reactants and other secondary products, which are zinc phosphate salts in primary and secondary forms.