Effect of different surface treatments on In-Ceram Alumina roughness. An AFM study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different treatments on the surface roughness of In-Ceram Alumina (VITA, Säckingen, Germany). The ceramic blocks were polished (4000 grit) and sandblasted (SB) with airborne particle abrasion Al(2)O(3); 110 microm particle size; 2.8 bar; 20s. The following treatments were performed: (1) no treatment; (2) Rocatec System (RC): after SB treatment, sandblasting with silica powder; 30 microm particle size; 2.8 bar; 20s. (3) Neodymium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser (ND) application of graphite powder (stain) on the ceramic surface and Nd:YAG laser irradiation (distance: 1mm, 100mJ, 20 Hz, 2W, and 141.54J/cm(2)). (4) Nd:YAG laser plus Rocatec System: after ND treatments, RC was applied. Digital images (20 microm x 20 microm) from the surfaces were obtained by means of an AFM microscope in taping mode (Nanoscope IIIa, Digital Instruments). Roughness was measured in 10 microm x 10 microm boxes. Roughness (R(a)) data (nm) were analyzed by one-way ANOVA (p<0.05). No differences in ceramic surfaces roughness occurred after any of the tested treatments (p=0.54). High-alumina ceramic surface roughness was not increased with any of the tested treatments.