Effect of zirconia (ZrO₂) nanoparticle addition on (dimensional change, compressive strength, creep, and vickers micro hardness) of the high copper dental amalgam

Authors

  • Zainab Albarqaawee Department of Materials Engineering, University of Kufa, Iraq Author
  • Mohammed S.Tuma Department of Materials Engineering, University of Kufa, Iraq Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62638/ZasMat1973

Abstract

This research is aimed at understanding the effects of one of the components of dental amalgam: the mechanical and structural characteristics of dental amalgams caused by nano-sized Zirconia Ceramics. Some of the mechanical tests done were Vickers hardness, creep resistance, compressive strength, and dimensional change and some microstructural tests were done using x-ray diffraction and optical microscopy. These tests were done with the aid of amalgam that contains Zirconia Ceramics and the amalgam that contains 0–3% of Zirconia Ceramics.

Around 2% ZrO2, Creep resistance increased by 44% as the percentage of creep resistance increased from 1.29% to 0.722%. An improvement of 18.5% in dimensional stability was also observed, as 3% ZrO2 resulted in a decrement of 0.135% to 0.11%. ZrO2 resulted in a 14.9% improvement, from control values of 328 MPa, and a ZrO2 addition of 3% increased compressive strength to 377 MPa. Vickers hardness increased by approximately 54% from control values and also increased with the 2% addition to 200 HV. Furthermore, the 2% addition produced the greatest Vickers hardness.

XRD confirmed a composite of Zirconia, and also of Ag2Hg3, and Cu6Sn5 phases, which was formed from the metallic and ceramic powder components. Nano Zirconia additions suggest substantial improvement to dental amalgams with regard to mechanical and deferred stability, and improvement towards clinical applications.

Keywords:

Amalgam, ZrO2, admix, creep, compressive strength, dimensional change

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Published

29-09-2026

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Research Paper