Thermal and spectral behaviour of a light-cured methacrylate-based composite material used in dentistry

The evolution of the polymerization of a light-cured methacrylate-based composite material (Pekalite) used in dentistry was studied. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis (TA) showed that with increasing the photo-polymerization time from 5 to 60 s, the degree of conversion increases from 32.5 to 59.6 % and thermal stability of the composite material increases from 144.6 to 270 °C. Growth of photo-polymerization time from 5 to 60 s produces an improvement in the mechanical strength of the composite material from 153 to 248 MPa. Spectral analysis and TA are two complementary and rapid methods for determining the degree of polymerization of composite materials used in dentistry.