EFFECT OF DILUTION ON THE KINETICS OF CROSS-LINKING THERMAL POLYMERIZATION OF DENTAL COMPOSITE MATRIX RESINS

The effect of dilution of 2,2-bis-(4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxyprop-1ox y) phenyl) propane (bis-GMA) with triethylene glycol demethacrylate (T EGDMA) on the extent of polymerization, E-p, has been studied using di fferential scanning calorimetry. The isothermal and dynamic measuremen ts indicate that the E-p is affected dramatically by dilution. The res idual polymerization was also found to be strongly influenced by dilut ion. However, the apparent activation energy, E-app, was found to be i ndependent of dilution.