title: Setting reactions in dental amalgam. Part 2. The kinetics of amalgamation.
abstract: The literature on the setting mechanisms of dental amalgams made from powders of silver-rich alloys of tin and/or copper has been critically reviewed. Part 2 is a review of the kinetics of the reactions that convert the mixture of alloy powder and liquid mercury to hardened amalgam containing the phases and microstructures described in Part 1. It is emphasized that amalgamation is a non-equilbrium process in which hardened microstructures are determined as much by kinetics as by chemistry. The setting reaction begins with dissolution of silver and tin into liquid mercury; most of the product phases precipitate in the liquid mercury. The processes that produce supersaturation in the liquid mercury and the subsequent nucleation and growth of solid phases are considered. Mass balance relationships that provide insight into the factors that control the volume fraction of the undesirable gamma 2 Sn-Hg phase are described. The nucleation and growth of eta' Cu-Sn crystals are also discussed; it is found that these crystals nucleate on copper-rich phases and grow into the liquid mercury. Finally, aspects of the setting reaction that are controlled by intergranular and interphase diffusion in the solid are discussed. These aspects include: the supersaturation of silver and tin within the liquid mercury, nucleation and growth of the beta 1 Ag-Hg phase in the surfaces of alloy particles, and the decomposition of initially formed gamma 2 Sn-Hg.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas 75246, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okabe
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry*; D004058:Diffusion; D006244:Hardness; D007700:Kinetics; D008628:Mercury / Q000737:chemistry; D008669:Metallurgy; D011208:Powders / Q000737:chemistry; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry; D014001:Tin / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011208:Powders; D012834:Silver; D014001:Tin; D003300:Copper; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury