A study on adsorption structures of methacryloyloxyalkyl dihydrogen phosphates on silver substrates by infrared...

10-Methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (M10P) for use in dentistry has recently been noted as an adhesive monomer contained in a metal primer. Although the treatment of a metal surface with primer before the application of resin is recognized to improve the adhesion between metal and resin, the role of M10P in the adhesion process has not been clarified. In this study, infrared reflection absorption (IRA) spectroscopy was employed to study the adsorption structures of M10P as well as 2-methacryloyloxyethyl dihydrogen phosphate (M2P) on evaporated silver substrates. The IRA spectra of the self-assembled films of those phosphates verified the adsorption of M10P or M2P on silver substrates from the methyl methacrylate solutions (5 x 10(-5) mol/L). The saturation coverages of M10P and M2P were completed after about 50 and 25 min, respectively. Two characteristic bands around 980 and 1080 cm-1 due to the PO(2-)3 stretching vibrations were observed. These results indicate that the phosphate groups of both monomers are adsorbed to silver surfaces in the dissociated form, -PO(2-)3, and form hydrophobic monolayers. The monolayer of M10P was found to be more durable against thermocycling in water than that of M2P by IRA measurements. The roles of M10P in the metal primer are presumably to form such a monolayer with appreciable durability and to promote polymerization with resin monomers.