Evaluation of surface topography of ceramics under different surface treatments

Abstract

The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to  evaluate  the  surface  topography  of  Noritake,  IPS  e.max and Cercon ceramics after treatment with either airborne aluminum oxide particle abrasion or   hydrofluoric   acid   etching.   Six   specimens   of   each   ceramic   (10mm   x   10mm   x   0,5mm) were fabricated and randomly divided into three groups: Group 1: without surface treatment (control);;   Group   2:   airborne   particle   abrasion   with   50-­μm   aluminum   oxide;;   Group   3:   10%   hydrofluoric   acid   etching.   The   specimens   were   gold   coated   and   examined   using   scanning   electron  microscopy.  The  10%  hydrofluoric  acid  increased  the  surface  irregularities  of  Noritake and IPS e.max ceramics, but did not change the surface topography of Cercon ceramic. Airborne particle   abrasion   with   aluminum   oxide   increased   the   surface   irregularities   of   Noritake,   IPS   e.max   and   Cercon   ceramics.   It   was   concluded   that   hydrofluoric   acid   was   effective   only   for   Noritake  and  IPS  e.max  ceramics,  and  airborne  particle  abrasion  was  effective  for  the  three ceramics.