Effect of impression material on surface reactive layer when casting pure titanium in phosphate investment.
We evaluated the effect of impression materials used in preparation of pure titanium castings on the surface reactive layer. Surface roughness of the refractory models before and after firing was smaller when silicone rather than agar impression material was used. The surface roughness of castings prepared with T-invest varied little with the impression material. However, the surface roughness of the castings prepared with CD Titaninvest was less when silicone impression material was used. Surface hardness of the castings was slightly greater when agar impression material was used, and metallic texture analysis of the surface of the castings showed a chill layer and a columnar crystal layer extending from the surface toward the interior. A relatively non-corroded white layer and a markedly corroded black layer were observed in the chill layer, and their thickness was smaller when silicone impression material was used. Use of the Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA) to determine distribution of various elements in the superficial layer of the casting plates showed that the reactive layer contained less P and Si when silicone impression material was used rather than agar. NH4H2 PO4, which is a component of the bonding material in the investment, was present at a high concentration in the superficial layer of the agar impression material. This shows the importance of preparing refractory models with a non-water-absorbing impression material to obtain pure titanium casting plates with a smaller reactive layer.