A study of the relationship between setting chemistry and properties of modified glass‐poly(alkenoate) cements

A study aimed at increasing the understanding of the setting chemistry and final structure of glass‐poly(alkenoate) [‘Glass‐Ionomer’] cements has been carried out in which the decomposition of glasses in aqueous solutions of an organic acid has been examined. Two glasses, an aluminosilicate and a fluoroaluminosilicate respectively, were washed with solutions of acetic acid and the washings analysed by ICP‐OES. For both glasses calcium and aluminium were found to be released under all conditions of acid‐washing. In addition, significant quantities of silicon and sodium were also found to be released. These findings have led to a reappraisal of both the precise mode of setting and the final structure of these materials. The pattern of ion release was also capable of providing some information on the structure of the phases present in the original glass.