Silica

Bonded
Investment

Dr. Shahreen Zahid Khan

Shifa College of Dentistry
 SILICA BONDED INVESTMENT

Consist of powdered quartz or cristobalite which is bonded

together with silica-gel. Silica gel is formed by mixing ethyl-
silicate and dilute hydrochloric acid and spirit
(C2H5O)4Si + 4H2O → Si(OH)4 + 4C2H5OH

Silica-acid gel binder form silica-gel on mixing with quartz

under alkaline condition (MgO2).

Upon heating, silica gel turns into silica and mould is

tightly packed with silica particles.
SILICA BONDED INVESTMENT…

Sufficient strength at casting temperature may be

achieved by adding as much powder as possible into
binder solution.

A very thick-mix of investment is used, and mixed

with help of vibrator to produce a strong investment
as possible.

During the drying process, silica-gel loses water and

alcohol to form the hard-gel, known as green
shrinkage.
SILICA BONDED INVESTMENT…

Shrinkage is followed Such investment Silica-bounded

by a more substantial materials may be investments are less
thermal expansion heated between 1090- popular because it
and inversion 1180 °C and is involved more complex
expansion of silica compatible with higher and time consuming
similar to gypsum- fusing alloys. procedures.
bonded investment.
Phosphate Bonded Investment
PHOSPHATE BONDED
INVESTMENT

Indication

• Cast metal alloys ( 850 to

11000C)
• Two types.
• Type 1: For inlays, crowns,
and other fixed restorations.
• Type 2: For partial dentures
and other cast removable
restorations.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

PHOSPHATE BONDED INVESTMENT

Composition

• Water-soluble phosphate ions .e.g.

NH4H2PO4
• Binder:- MgO
• Refractory component :- silica in the form of
cristobalite and quartz or mixture of both
SETTING REACTION
NH4H2PO4 + MgO + H2O → NH4MgPO4.6H2O +H2O
Acid base reaction takes place
between acidic
monoammonium phosphate
NH4H2PO4 and base magnesia
MgO

Water produced by this

reaction lowers the viscosity of
the mix.

Phosphate in water reacts with

soluble magnesia → binding
media, filler particles
embedded in matrix

During setting and burn out it

passes through different
phases.
• Green strength at room temperature
Craigs 13th page 315
• High temperature strength
 SETTING
EXPANSION
Effect Of The Colloidal Solution
Of Silica

• It results in higher setting

expansion

• Show higher hygroscopic

expansion as compared
to normal condition.

• Results in better
compensation of the
solidification shrinkage of
alloys with higher melting
range.
Thermal expansion of a phosphate bonded
investment mixed with water as compared with the
special liquid.
Working and setting time

They are affected by the temp (Warmer the mix--

- set fast)

In general, the more efficient the mixing, the

better is the smoothness and accuracy of the
casting. (vacuum mixing is preferred).

L/P ratio effects working and setting time.

(Increase L/P ratio result in per long working
time).
Properties of
Investment Materials
Thermal Stability
• Gypsum-bonded investments
decompose above 1200ºC by
interaction of silica with calcium
sulphate to liberate sulphur trioxide gas.
CaSO4 + SiO2 → CaSiO3 + SO3

• This not only causes severe weakening

of the investment but would lead to the
incorporation of porosity into the
castings.

• So, they are restricted to use with those

alloys which are cast well below 1200ºC.
e.g. gold alloys and some of the lower
melting, base metal alloys.
 • Phosphate- & silica-bonded materials
have sufficient strength at the high
temperatures and are used for casting
base metal alloys
THERMAL
• Due to the higher strengths of the
STABILITY phosphate-bonded materials, these
are widely used for casting all types of
metals: precious, semi-precious and
base-metal
 • The gypsum-bonded and phosphate bonded
materials are sufficiently porous to allow escape of
air and other gases from the mould during casting.

• The silica-bonded materials, on the other hand, are

so closely packed that they are virtually porosity-
POROSITY free and there is a danger of ‘back pressure’
building up which will cause the mould to be
incompletely filled or the castings to be porous.

• These problems can be overcome by making vents

in the investment which prevent the pressure from
increasing.
COMPENSATING
EXPANSION
• The accuracy of fit of a casting
depends primarily on the ability of the
investment material to compensate for
the shrinkage of the alloy which occurs
on casting.

• This compensating expansion is

achieved by:

• Setting expansion.
• Thermal expansion.
• Hygroscopic expansion.
• Expansion due to the inversion of
silica at elevated temperature.
COMPENSATING EXPANSION

Silica-bonded investments
undergo a slight contraction
during setting and the early
Due to close packed nature Approximately 1.6%
stages of heating, due to the
of the silica particles, expansion is achieved at a
nature of the setting
further heating causes temperature of about
reaction and the
considerable expansion. 600ºC.
subsequent loss of water
and alcohol from the
material.
 For phosphate-bonded
materials, a combined
setting expansion and
COMPENSATING thermal expansion of
EXPANSION… around 2.0% is normal,
provided the special silica
liquid is used with the
investment.
APPLICATION OF VARIOUS TYPES OF INVESTMENT
MATERIALS

INVESTMENT PRIMARY USE

Dental plaster or stone Mold for acrylic dentures

Gypsum-bounded materials Molds for gold casting alloys

Silica-bounded materials Mold for base metal casting alloys

Phosphate-bounded Mold for base metal and gold casting alloys

materials Refractory die for ceramic build-up