Degree of conversion of composites measured by DTA and FTIR.
OBJECTIVE
Differential thermal analysis (DTA) using a split fiber optic light source has been reported to be a convenient method of measuring the degree of conversion (DC) of light-activated composites. The purpose of this study was to compare the results by DTA and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and evaluate the usefulness of the DTA method.


METHODS
Experimental 2,2-bis[4-(3-methacryloyloxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)phenyl]propane-based composites containing SiO2 filler and various amounts of triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) were prepared, and the DC of each composite was determined by DTA or FTIR with 60s irradiation. The DC of three proprietary composites containing hybrid filler or prepolymerized resin filler were also measured by both methods with 20 or 60s irradiation. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and Fisher's protected least significant difference test.


RESULTS
By both DTA and FTIR, the DC of experimental composites increased as the proportion of TEGDMA increased, although DTA showed 3-10% greater values (p<0.05) than FTIR. For proprietary composites that contain hybrid filler, the values by DTA were not significantly different from those by FTIR at 20s exposure. Longer irradiation time resulted in greater DC (p<0.05) for both methods, and DTA showed 5-7% greater values than FTIR. However, the DC of the composite containing prepolymerized resin filler was 30% less by FTIR than by DTA, possibly due to the influence of unpolymerized species in the filler.


CONCLUSIONS
The DC values determined by DTA and FTIR showed good agreement for most materials including model composites. In addition, DTA may be more useful than FTIR to measure the DC of composites containing prepolymerized resin filler.
Imazato
S
S
Department of Conservative Dentistry, Osaka University Faculty of Dentistry, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, 565-0871, Osaka, Japan. imazato@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp
McCabe
J F
JF
Tarumi
H
H
Ehara
A
A
Ebisu
S
S
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017438:Bisphenol A-Glycidyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D004055:Differential Thermal Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D055100:Optical Fibers; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D019163:Reducing Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D012821:Silanes / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
D003188:Composite Resins; D008689:Methacrylates; D011108:Polymers; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D019163:Reducing Agents; D019279:Resin Cements; D012821:Silanes; D013729:Terpenes; C074046:Photo Clearfil A; C074741:Silux Plus; C020946:triethylene glycol dimethacrylate; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D017438:Bisphenol A-Glycidyl Methacrylate; C048339:camphoroquinone; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C049840:2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate