Chemical durability of Dicor and fluorocanasite-based glass-ceramics

Fluorocanasite (Al2O3-CaO-F-K2O-Na2O-SiO2) glass-ceramics exhibit fracture toughness values of up to 5.0 MPa x m1/2. However, their chemical durability is not adequate for dental applications. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that an increased concentration of Al2O3 can increase the chemical durability of fluorocanasite-based glass-ceramics. Glass frits containing 2 wt% (CAN2), 5 wt% (CAN5), and 10 wt% Al2O3 (CAN10) were melted individually, poured into a graphite mold, and cut into 16-mm-diam. x 2-mm-thick disks. Each disk was crystallized at 850 degrees C for 6 hrs. The disks were immersed in a solution of de-ionized-distilled water, 4% acetic acid, or a pH 1 buffer solution, and sealed in 90-mL Teflon containers. Corrosion testing was performed by means of vibrational motion at 60 cycles per min in a shaker-bath at 80 degrees C for 15 days. Solution analyses were performed by means of a pH meter, an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and an inductively coupled plasma spectrometer. Samples exposed to 4% acetic acid solution exhibited a mean weight loss rate (WLR) for the control group (Dicor) of 0.04+/-0.01 mg/cm2 day, which was significantly lower (p < or = 0.0001) than the mean WLR of the CAN2 (1.08+/-0.02 mg/cm2 x day), CAN5 (1.31+/-0.02 mg/cm2 x day), and CAN10(1.51+/-0.05 mg/cm2 x day) groups. The reduced durability of fluorocanasite-based glass-ceramics with increasing Al2O3 concentration is most likely associated with a more uniform distribution of smaller crystals during heat treatment of the glass.