Aging resistant ZTA composite for dental applications

Abstract

Objective. To synthesize a zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) composite with 70% aluminareinforced by 30% zirconia for dental applications and to characterize its microstructureand optical properties for comparison with the isolated counterpart materials and a first-generation 3Y-TZP.Methods. Disc-shaped specimens were divided in four groups (n = 70/material): (1) 3YSB-E(first generation 3Y-TZP), (2) Zpex (second generation 3Y-TZP), (3) alumina, and (4) ZTA-Zpex70/30. After synthesis, ceramic powders were pressed, and green-body samples sinteredfollowing a predetermined protocol. Specimens were polished to obtain a mirror surfacefinish. Apparent density was measured by Archimedes principle. X-ray diffraction (XRD)and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to characterize the crystalline contentand microstructure. Reflectance tests were performed to determine the contrast-ratio (CR)and translucency-parameter (TP). Mechanical properties were assessed by biaxial flexuralstrength (BFS) test. All analyses were conducted before and after artificial aging (20 h, 134◦C, 2.2 bar). Optical parameters were evaluated through repeated-measures analysis of variance and Tukey tests (p < 0.05). BFS data were analyzed using Weibull statistics (95% CI). Results. High density values (95–99%) were found for all ceramic materials and SEM images exhibited a dense microstructure. While XRD patterns revealed the preservation of crys- talline content in the ZTA composite, an increase in the monoclinic peak was observed for pure zirconias after aging. Significantly higher CR and lower TP values were observed for the ZTA composite, followed by alumina, 3YSB-E, and Zpex. The highest characteristic stress was recorded for 3YSB-E, followed by intermediate values between ZTA and Zpex, and the lowest for alumina. Aging affected the optical and mechanical properties of both zirconias, while remained stable for ZTA composite and alumina. Significance. The synthesis of experimental 70−30% ZTA composite was successful and its relevance for dental applications relies on its higher masking ability, aging resistance, and strength similar to zirconia.