[Fatigue of dental zinc phosphate cement].

Abstract

The fatigue characteristics of a zinc phosphate cement were examined. Using a split mould made of stainless steel, 12 mm x phi 6 mm column shape specimens were prepared. Fatigue tests were done by loading partially repeated pulsating diametrical tensile stress of 1-20 Hz, minimum stress was 0.2 MPa (2.0 kgf/cm2) and maximum stress was 3.5-5.4 MPa (36-55 kgf/cm2). During testing, the specimen was kept under distilled water. The existence of a fatigue was confirmed and there were marked signs of fatigue on the fracture surface. The relation between maximum stress and the number of cycles to fracture (S-N diagram) was obtained. Therefore the following equation and fatigue parameter (n) were deduced. logS + 0.0775.logN = 0.8931 n = 12.9 The fatigue characteristics depended on the frequency, that is, a time to fracture was shorter at the loading frequency of 20 Hz than that of 1 Hz.