Spatially resolved photopolymerization kinetics and oxygen inhibition in dental adhesives

A comparative study of three commercial dental adhesives was performed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Stray-Field magnetic resonance imaging. Spectroscopic evidence was found for the presence of solvent and unreacted methacrylate groups in photopolymerized adhesives. Spatially resolved photopolymerization kinetics and volumetric contraction (solvent evaporation and polymerization shrinkage) were obtained without solvent removal and in the presence of oxygen from the atmosphere. The oxygen and solvent inhibitor effects in the photopolymerization were found to be higher for water/ethanol based adhesives. However, was one of these adhesives that exhibited less spatially dependent irradiation time to start vitrification, higher concentration and a more uniform spatial distribution of rigid domains at the end of the photopolymerization.