Journal of Peking University (Health Sciences) ›› 2026, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (4): 855-859. doi: 10.19723/j.issn.1671-167X.2026.04.024

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Effect of modified hot-etching treatment on the mechanical properties of zirconia and zirconia/resin bond strength

Xin YANG1, Yu WU2, Pin LV2,*()   

  1. 1. First Clinical Division, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing 100081, China
    2. Department of Stomatology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
  • Received:2025-10-10 Online:2026-08-18 Published:2026-05-19
  • Contact: Pin LV
  • Supported by:
    the Peking University Third Hospital Fund for Interdisciplinary Research(BYSYJC2024029)

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Abstract:

Objective: To investigate the effect of modified hot-etching treatment on the flexural strength and surface crystalline phase proportions of zirconia and zirconia/resin bond strength. Methods: Zirconia specimens were divided into three groups according to different surface treatments, including blank group, sandblasting treatment group and modified hot-etching treatment group. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology of the treated zirconia, an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) was employed to detect the surface crystalline phase proportions, and a universal mechanical testing machine was utilized to measure the three-point flexural strength of the zirconia specimens of different treatment groups. A bonding surface was prepared with bovine enamel, and the zirconia specimens were bonded using resin cement. Half of the bonded specimens underwent 5 000 cycles of thermal cycling fatigue test, and the immediate and fatigued shear bond strengths (SBS) were detected by using a universal mechanical testing machine. Results: SEM observations revealed that the surface of the control group was smooth, the surface of sandblasting treatment group exhibited irregular scratches, and the surface of modified hot-etching treatment group showed a honeycomb-like etched morphology. XRD results indicated that the monoclinic phase proportions were 8.18% for the control group, 28.34% for the sandblasting treatment group, and 9.69% for the modified hot-etching treatment group. The flexural strength of the sandblasting treatment group [(316.40±58.37) MPa] was significantly (P < 0.01) lower than that of the blank group [(415.30±47.64) MPa] and the modified hot-etching treatment group [(398.77±47.94) MPa]. The immediate SBS of the modified hot-etching treatment group [(53.77±8.36) MPa] was higher (P < 0.01) than that of blank group[(35.50±4.72) MPa] and sandblasting treatment group [(42.97±6.95) MPa]. After thermal cycling fatigue test, the fatigued SBS of the blank group [(21.65±4.01) MPa] was lower (P < 0.01) than that of the modified hot-etching treatment group [(30.69±7.36) MPa] and the sandblasting treatment group [(29.37±5.73) MPa]. Conclusion: The modified hot-etching treatment could enhance the immediate zirconia/resin SBS, exhibited similar resistance to thermal fatigue test with sandblasting treatment group, could not significantly reduce the flexural strength, and did not obviously alter the surface crystalline phase proportions.

Key words: Modified hot-etching treatment, Zirconia, Flexural strength, Thermal cycling fatigue, Shear bond strength

CLC Number: 

  • R783.1

Figure 1

Scanning electron microscope images of the zirconia surface morphology for each group A, blank group at ×10 000; B, sandblasting group at ×10 000; C, modified hot-etching group at ×10 000; D, blank group at ×20 000; E, sandblasting group at ×20 000; F, modified hot-etching group at ×20 000."

Figure 2

XRD patterns of zirconia specimens of each group A, blank group; B, sandblasting group; C, modified hot-etching group. m, monoclinic; t, tetragonal; XRD, X-ray diffractometer."

Figure 3

Failure modes of zirconia bonded specimens by groups ER, enamel/resin interfacial failure; MF, mixed failure; CR, ceramic/resin interfacial failure."

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