Flexural strength and fracture toughness of Dicor glass-ceramic after embedment modification

Previous studies on the surface properties of Dicor castable glass-ceramic have shown the formation of a specific crystalline phase at the glass-ceramic/embedment interface. If this phase is not removed by grinding, it leads to an undesirable strength decrease. The aims of this study were: (1) to determine the nature of this surface layer, (2) to promote the formation of a different crystalline phase at the surface with the intention of improving the properties of the glass-ceramic, by modification of the composition of the Dicor ceramming embedment, and (3) to evaluate the fracture toughness and flexural strength of Dicor glass-ceramic after embedment modification. Modifications were made to the embedment by incorporation of 2.5 wt% of lithium fluoride and ceramming at various temperatures. X-ray diffraction was used to determine the crystalline nature of the surface layer. Fracture toughness was investigated by the indentation technique. The maximum bi-axial stresses were calculated after the samples were fractured in water on a ball-on-ring fixture at 0.5 mm/min. With the recommended embedment and ceramming cycle, the crystalline phase constituting the ceram layer was a calcium magnesium silicate CaMg(SiO3)2 (diopside). The crystalline composition of the ceram layer was successfully modified by addition of 2.5 wt% lithium fluoride to the embedment. This promoted the crystallization of mica in the ceram layer and increased the fracture toughness of the glass-ceramic when the ceramming temperature was 950 or 975 degrees C. The flexural strength was significantly increased when the ceramming temperature was 1000 degrees C.