Claims
- 1. A method of preparing internally microporous glassy filler grains for dental resin composites comprising:
- (a) preparing a sol comprised of refractory inorganic oxides including silica, alumina, and at least one non-toxic x-ray opacifying oxide;
- (b) gelling said sol;
- (c) pre-calcining the gel by heating it to a temperature between about 350.degree. C. and about 650.degree. C. for a sufficient period of time to defume it;
- (d) calcining said gel by heating it to a temperature between about 500.degree. C. and about 1000.degree. C. for a sufficient period of time to provide a filler having a median refractive index between about 1.51 and about 1.64 and to densify said gel to a density between about 2.37 and about 3.15 grams per cubic centimeter; and
- (e) comminuting before or after calcining.
- 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said x-ray opacifying oxide is selected from the group consisting of zirconium, hafnium, tantalum and tin compounds.
- 3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising adding to said sol a fluxing agent in an amount less than about 0.2 percent by weight, calculated as an oxide, of the sol composition.
- 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said fluxing agent is selected from the group consisting of boric acid, sodium carbonate, lithium carbonate and mono-ammonium phosphate.
- 5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising adding a peptizing agent to said sol.
- 6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said peptizing agent comprises glacial acetic acid.
- 7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sol is gelled by the addition of heat.
- 8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising curing said gelled sol prior to pre-calcination thereof.
- 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein curing said gel comprises adding heat to said gel at a temperature between about 150.degree. C. and about 300.degree. C. for a time sufficient to produce a hard product.
- 10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said temperature is between about 200.degree. C. and 275.degree. C.
- 11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said pre-calcining of the gel comprises heating said gel to a temperature between about 350.degree. C. and about 650.degree. C. for a time between about 15 minutes and about 3 hours.
- 12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said temperature is between about 400.degree. C. and about 550.degree. C. and said time is between about 30 minutes and about 11/2 hours.
- 13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said calcining comprises heating said gel to a temperature of between about 500.degree. C. and about 800.degree. C. for at least about two hours.
- 14. A method according to claim 1 wherein said calcining comprises repeating the steps of (a) pulse heating said gel to a temperature of between about 800.degree. C. and about 1000.degree. C. for about 10 to 30 minutes, and (b) cooling said gel to a temperature of about 25.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C.
- 15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said temperature is between about 870.degree. C. and about 975.degree. C. and said time is between about 15 to 20 minutes.
- 16. A method according to claim 1 further comprising adding a pigment coloring agent to said sol.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of co-pending application Ser. No. 941,308, filed Sept. 11, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,264, which is in turn a continuation of application Ser. No. 783,760, filed Apr. 1, 1977 and now abandoned.
Government Interests
The invention described herein was made in the course of work under a grant or award from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Mukherjee, S. P. et al., A Comparative Study of "Gels" and Oxides Mixtures as Starting Materials for the Nucleation and Crystallization of Silicate Glasses, J. of Mat. Sci. 11 (1976), pp. 341-355. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
941308 |
Sep 1978 |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
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783760 |
Apr 1977 |
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