Interfacial phenomena and adhesion are two important areas of research interest in restorative dentistry. The long term objectives of the applicant are the enhancement of the interfacial and adhesive properties of restorative materials. The proposed research deals with the use of surfactants to enhance the interfacial and adhesive properties of dental cements. The central hypothesis of the proposal is that surfactant addition may enhance wetting and interfacial interactions, dispersion of the powder in the liquid (by reducing clustering) and improve thixotropic and microstructural characteristics of dental cements. Effect of anionic and nonionic surfactants will be studied. The surfactants will be incorporated into the dental cements as a coating or admixture with the cement powder or in solution with the liquid medium. The effect of different concentrations of surfactants on the properties of zinc phosphate and polycarboxylate will be studied. The properties to be investigated include consistency, disintegration, solubility, time of setting, adhesive properties, and fractographic characteristics. In addition, microstructural features of the cements with and without surfactants will also be studied. The enhancement of wetting, dispersion, adhesion, and thixotropy expected from surfactant incorporation is expected to lead to improved cement formulations for clinical applications.
