AN INVESTIGATION OF THE HARDENING PROCESS FOR SEVERAL PHOSPHATE GLASS-CONTAINING CEMENTS

The hardening process for several phosphate glass-containing cements t hat have potential dental applications was investigated using both pow der X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectral techniqu es. The investigated phosphate glasses contained various amounts of ca lcium, strontium and sodium ions. Crystalline brushite and amorphous p hases whose concentrations and compositions depended on the compositio ns of the starting phases were formed during the hardening process for the cement. The study indicates that the use of phosphate glasses con taining calcium and strontium ions in cement mixtures, rather than sol id mixtures of the related metal oxides, sufficiently slows their hard ening process so that commercially useful cements might be formed.