Development of image analysis using Python: Relationship between matrix ratio of composite resin and curing...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Computational Materials Science

Background:

• Accurate quantification of filler and matrix components in resin composites (RCs) is crucial for understanding material properties.
• Traditional methods for measuring component ratios can be labor-intensive and prone to human error.
• The relationship between the matrix ratio and the exothermic heat generated during polymerization is not fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an automated Python programming-based measurement method for determining filler and matrix content in cured resin composites.
• To investigate the correlation between the calculated matrix ratio and the temperature rise during the curing process.
• To compare the accuracy of the Python programming method with conventional volume measurement techniques.

Main Methods:

• Eight types of resin composites (RCs) were prepared and cured.
• Backscattered electron imaging was employed to capture microstructural data of the cured specimens.
• Python programming, utilizing K-means and area segmentation algorithms, was used for automated matrix and filler content calculation.

Main Results:

• The Python programming method successfully calculated the matrix ratio without human intervention.
• For specimens with single inorganic fillers, the programming method yielded matrix ratio values comparable to traditional volume measurement methods.
• A strong positive correlation (R=0.9826) was observed between the matrix ratio determined by the Python method and the measured curing temperature rise.

Conclusions:

• An automated, Python-based approach provides an accurate and efficient method for quantifying matrix and filler content in resin composites.
• The established method demonstrates high reliability, especially for composites with single filler types.
• The strong correlation highlights the potential of using the matrix ratio as an indicator for the exothermic behavior of resin composites during polymerization.