UV-VIS spectra and photoinitiation behaviors of acylphosphine oxide and bisacylphosphine oxide derivatives in unfilled, light-cured dental resins.

The aims of this study were to investigate the photoinitiation behaviors of acylphosphine oxide (APO) and bisacylphosphine oxide (BAPO) derivatives in comparison to D,L-camphorquinone (CQ)/tertiary amine (EDAB) system. Fifty six kinds of experimental unfilled, light-cured resins were prepared using APO, BAPO, CQ, EDAB, resin monomers, and adhesive monomers. The measurements of ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, photopolymerization with differential scanning calorimeter (photo-DSC) and degree of conversion (DC) determination were performed. Results showed that the UV-VIS spectra of all APO and BAPO derivatives possessed lambda max ranging between 365 and 416 nm. Their photoinitiation behaviors were not influenced by acidic adhesive monomers formulated in unfilled Bis-GMA-based resins (p < 0.05). Although BAPO exhibited higher reactivity than CQ/EDAB in unfilled 6-methacryloyloxyhexcyl phosphonoacetate (6-MHPA)/ 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 6-MHPA/glycerol monomethacrylate (GM)-based resins, it was found that there were no statistically significant differences in DC (%) between BAPO [44.2(6.5)-51.2(4.3)] and CQ/EDAB [42.4(4.4)-47.5(3.7)] (p < 0.05). It was concluded that APO and BAPO photoinitiators exhibited reactivity comparable to that of CQ/tertiary amine system.