Polymerization of acrylic bone cement investigated by differential scanning calorimetry: Effects of heating rate and TCP content

Abstract

AbstractThe polymerization reaction of a bone cement (standard Surgical Simplex‐P Radiopaque) upon heating has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effects of the addition of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) on the rate and the heat of polymerization during DSC heating were evaluated. The rate and polymerization heat (ΔH) were characterized by the initial curing temperature (Ti), peak temperature (Tp), completing curing temperature (Tf), the curing range (ΔT = Tf − Ti) and the area of the DSC exotherm. It was found that Ti, Tp, Tf, ΔT, and ΔH all increase with increasing heating rate. Increasing TCP content also induced increases in Ti, Tp, Tf, ΔT, and ΔH. From the kinetic analysis, the polymerization of acrylic bone cement was found to be a first order reaction. The effects of heating rate and TCP contents on the rate and the heat of polymerization could be explained based on the frequency factor and the activation energy extracted from the kinetic analysis. Increases in both heating rate and TCP content depressed the frequency factor and the activation energy.