Caracterização cristalográfica superficial e da resistência à flexão biaxial de cerâmica Y-TZP translúcida submetida à vários tratamentos de superfície

Abstract

This study evaluated the influence of extrinsic pigmentation on the hydrothermal degradation and biaxial flexural strength of zirconia ceramics Y-TZP (InCoris TZI - Sirona - USA) submitted to several surface treatments. Discs-shape specimens (ISO 6872 - 12x1.2 mm) were prepared from pre-sintered Y-TZP zirconia blocks. The specimens received pigmentation (InCoris TZI Colouring Liquid A3,5 – Sirona – USA) by immersion technique for 5 minutes. Then they were separated into groups according to the criteria of whether they received (P) or not (N), extrinsic pigmentation (n = 60) and then according to the surface treatment they were submitted to (n = 15): 1 - (C) control (as sintered); 2 - (R) Rocatec®; 3 - (G) Glaze; 4 - (GA) Glaze and conditioning with 10% hydrofluoric acid. Two additional samples were also analyzed via (1) optical profilometer to determine the influence of surface treatments on surface roughness; (2) X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis to evaluate possible phase transformations; (3) dispersive energy spectrometry (EDX) to evaluate the chemical composition of the samples; And (4) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for surface characterization and quantification of the mean grain size. The samples were submitted to mechanical cycling (1.2x106, 200N load and 3.8Hz) and biaxial flexural strength test (1mm / min and 1000kg cell until catastrophic fracture). The analysis of the data obtained by the profilometer allows to state that the extrinsic pigmentation and the surface treatments employed significantly altered the surface roughness. The XRD analysis allows to conclude that the subgroup SR underwent T → M phase change (3.5%) and the subgroup PR presented also cubic phase. Data analysis allowed us to state that, in the N group, the surface treatment had a statistically significant influence on biaxial flexural strength (p = 0.014), and the SR subgroup presented higher resistance (642.8 ± 112.1 MPa) and the SGF group, the lowest (542.9 ± 80.96 MPa). The same does not occur in P, where no statistically significant differences were observed (p = 0.113). Thus, it is possible to conclude that the extrinsic pigmentation promotes changes in the structure of the analyzed material.