The aim of this study was to measure the initial dynamic modulus changes of light cured composites using a custom made rheometer. The custom made rheometer consisted of 3 parts: (1) a measurement unit of parallel plates made of glass rods, (2) an oscillating shear strain generator with a DC motor and a crank mechanism, (3) a stress measurement device using an electromagnetic torque sensor. This instrument could measure a maximum torque of 2Ncm, and the switch of the light-curing unit was synchronized with the rheometer.
Six commercial composite resins [Z-100 (Z1), Z-250 (Z2), Z-350 (Z3), DenFil (DF), Tetric Ceram (TC), and Clearfil AP-X (CF)] were investigated. A dynamic oscillating shear test was undertaken with the rheometer. A certain volume (14.2 mm3) of composite was loaded between the parallel plates, which were made of glass rods (3 mm in diameter). An oscillating shear strain with a frequency of 6 Hz and amplitude of 0.00579 rad was applied to the specimen and the resultant stress was measured. Data acquisition started simultaneously with light curing, and the changes in visco-elasticity of composites were recorded for 10 seconds. The measurements were repeated 5 times for each composite at 25±0.5℃. Complex shear modulus
The results were as follows.
1. The custom made rheometer in this study reliably measured the initial visco-elastic modulus changes of composites during 10 seconds of light curing.
2. In all composites, the development of complex shear modulus
3. In all composites, the storage shear modulus
4. The complex shear modulus of Z1 was the highest, followed by CF, Z2, Z3, TC and DF the lowest.
5. Z1 was the fastest and DF was the slowest in the time to reach the complex shear modulus of 10 MPa.
The aim of study was to investigate the effect of flow, specimen geometry and adhesion on the measurement of linear polymerization shrinkage of light cured composite resins using linear shrinkage measuring device.
Four commercially available composites - an anterior posterior hybrid composite Z100, a posterior packable composite P60 and two flowable composites, Filtek flow and Tetric flow - were studied. The linear polymerization shrinkage of composites was determined using 'bonded disc method' and 'non-bonded' free shrinkage method at varying C-factor in the range of 1~8 by changing specimen geometry. These measured linear shrinkage values were compared with free volumetric shrinkage values.
The viscosity and flow of composites were determined and compared by measuring the dropping speed of metal rod under constant load.
In non-bonded method, the linear shrinkage approximated one third of true volumetric shrinkage by isotropic contraction. However, in bonded disc method, as the bonded surface increased the linear shrinkage increased up to volumetric shrinkage value by anisotropic contraction. The linear shrinkage value increased with increasing C-factor and approximated true volumetric shrinkage and reached plateau at about C-factor 5~6. The more flow the composite was, reduced linear shrinkage was measured by compensation radial flow.