Studies in the setting of polyelectrolyte cements: part VII. The effect of divalent metal chlorides on the properties of zinc polycarboxylate and glass-ionomer dental cements.

A study is reported in which a zinc polycarboxylate and a glass polyalkenoate dental cement, were prepared from aqueous solutions of divalent metal chlorides, namely ZnCl2, CaCl2, MgCl2 and SrCl2, all at 1.0 mol dm-3 concentration, as well as from pure water. Calcium chloride was employed at additional concentrations, i.e. 2.0, 0.5 and 0.1 mol dm-3. As was previously found for monovalent salts, setting of the zinc polycarboxylate was speeded up and water uptake generally enhanced by the presence of the divalent metal salts. However, the divalent salts were found to reduce the compressive strength at 24 h (from 86 MPa to about 60 MPa). The glass polyalkenoate showed broadly similar effects to those observed in the presence of monovalent salts, with the setting time being increased, water uptake inhibited and compressive strength at 24 h reduced; however, by contrast, the working time was generally reduced. These results occur because the rate of the neutralization process is increased by the divalent salts, a consequence of the reduced pH of the poly(acrylic acid) caused by these salts. Infrared spectroscopy demonstrated interactions between the metal chlorides and poly(acrylic acid), with various chelate structures being apparent from the position of the asymmetric carbonyl stretch. Copyright 1998 Chapman & Hall