Leandro de Arruda Santos

Comparison of the Mechanical Behavior between Controlled Memory and Superelastic Nickel-Titanium Files via Finite Element Analysis

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to evaluate the flexibility and torsional stiffness of a controlled memory (CM) nickel-titanium (NiTi) file and compare its mechanical responses with those of a superelastic NiTi file with the same geometry using finite element simulation. METHODS A commercially available instrument with a tip size of 30 and a 0.06 taper was selected for this study. The geometric model for finite element analysis was generated by micro-computed tomographic scanning, and the data for the constitutive model of controlled memory NiTi were obtained from the literature. The numeric analysis was performed in ABAQUS (SIMULIA, Providence, RI) with boundary conditions that were based on the ISO 3630-1 specification. RESULTS The CM NiTi file exhibited the least bending moment and maximum stress value (523 MPa) under 45° bending simulation. However, the least torsional stiffness was calculated for this same instrument. CONCLUSIONS The higher flexibility and potential fatigue resistance of the CM NiTi files were confirmed, indicating that this new technology represents an improvement in the mechanical behavior of the rotary NiTi files.

Mechanical behavior of three nickel-titanium rotary files: A comparison of numerical simulation with bending and torsion tests

AIM To assess the flexibility and torsional stiffness of three nickel-titanium rotary instruments by finite element analysis and compare the numerical results with the experiment. METHODOLOGY Mtwo (VDW, Munich, Germany) and RaCe (FKG Dentaire, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland) size 25, .06 taper (0.25-mm tip diameter, 0.06% conicity) and PTU F1 (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) instruments were selected for this study. Experimental tests to assess the flexibility and torsional stiffness of the files were performed according to specification ISO 3630-1. Geometric models for finite element analysis were obtained by micro-CT scanning. Boundary conditions for the numerical analysis were based on the specification ISO 3630-1. RESULTS A good agreement between the simulation and the experiment moment-displacement curves was found for the three types of instruments studied. RaCe exhibited the highest flexibility and PTU presented the highest torsional stiffness. Maximum values of von Mises stress were found for the PTU F1 file (1185MPa) under bending, whereas the values of von Mises stress for the three instruments were quite similar under torsion. The stress patterns proved to be different in Mtwo under bending, according to the displacement orientation. CONCLUSIONS The favorable agreement found between simulation and experiment for the three types of instruments studied confirmed the potential of the numerical method to assess the mechanical behavior of endodontic instruments. Thus, a methodology is established to predict the failure of the instruments under bending and torsion.

Effects of R-Phase on Mechanical Responses of a Nickel-Titanium Endodontic Instrument: Structural Characterization and Finite Element Analysis

The effects of the presence of the R-phase in a near-equiatomic NiTi alloy on the mechanical responses of an endodontic instrument were studied by using finite element analysis. The input data for the constitutive model in the simulation were obtained by tensile testing of three NiTi wires: superelastic austenite NiTi, austenite + R-phase NiTi, and fully R-phased NiTi. The wires were also characterized by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. A commercially available endodontic instrument was scanned using microcomputed tomography, and the resulting images were used to build the geometrical model. The numerical analyses were performed in ABAQUS using load and boundary conditions based on the ISO 3630-1 specification for the bending and torsion of endodontic instruments. The modeled instrument containing only R-phase demanded the lowest moment to be bent, followed by the one with mixed austenite + R-phase. The superelastic instrument, containing essentially austenite, required the highest bending moment. During bending, the fully R-phased instrument reached the lowest stress values; however, it also experienced the highest angular deflection when subjected to torsion. In summary, this simulation showed that NiTi endodontic instruments containing only R-phase in their microstructure would show higher flexibility without compromising their performance under torsion.

Synthesis and characterization of the Fe-Zn intermetallic phases using the Rietveld Method

O Metodo Rietveld foi utilizado para investigar a estrutura de tres fases intermetalicas Fe-Zn e quantificar sua proporcao. As fases zeta, delta e gama foram obtidas com sucesso pelo processo de sinterizacao. Uma mistura simples das tres fases intermetalicas foi realizada com uma porcentagem de massas conhecida e seu padrao DRX foi coletado e analisado pelo Metodo Rietveld. Uma diferenca de 14% entre os padroes DRX simulado e experimental foi encontrada, indicando um ajuste satisfatorio. Uma pequena diferenca entre os valores dos parâmetros de rede calculados e aqueles contidos nos cartoes ICSD foi observada. Por conta do bom ajuste, as porcentagens de fase da mistura calculadas concordaram de maneira proxima com as porcentagens experimentais. Logo, concluiu-se que o Metodo Rietveld e um metodo confiavel para quantificar as fases presentes em acos galvannealed e que a mesma metodologia aplicada nesse estudo laboratorial pode ser aplicada em chapas industriais.

INFLUENCE OF STRAIN RATE ON THE FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR OF A NITI ALLOY UNDER PSEUDOELASTIC TRAINING

The present study deals with the effects of strain rate on the functional behavior of NiTi thin wires. The samples, in the austenitic condition at room temperature, were mechanically cycled 20 times by loading up to 6% strain followed by complete unloading, at 25°C. Four different quasi-static strain rates were assessed: 1x10-4, 1x10-3, 1x10-2 and 5x10-2s-1. The functional properties are described by means of critical stress to induce martensite, stress at maximum strain, energy dissipated per cycle and residual strain. The sensitivity of repeated cyclic deformation to strain rate is also analyzed in terms of phase stability. The results show that the fluctuation in the loading plateau, due to non-homogeneous transformation, increases with increasing strain rate. During cycling, it is observed that higher strain rates result in lower critical stress to induce martensite after the 5th cycle. However, the stress at maximum strain is higher at high strain rates, regardless the number of cycles. The accumulation of residual strain also increases with the strain rate due to the higher applied stress. During unloading, both the elastic deformation of stress-induced martensite and the reverse transformation seem to overlap at high strain rates. The dissipated energy behavior changes between the 1st and 20th cycle. No martensite is stabilized after training, but the intensity of the X-ray diffraction peaks of austenite increases with strain rate, as a result of stress relaxation.

Effects of Pseudoelastic Cycling under Different Temperatures on Physical and Mechanical Properties of a NiTi Alloy

The effects of pseudoelastic cycling under different temperatures on physical and mechanical properties of a NiTi superelastic wire were investigated by uniaxial tensile testing. The samples were cyclically deformed up to 6% strain under several test temperatures above the austenite finish temperature (Af). In order to approach a cyclic saturation level, number of cycles was established as 20. The temperature at which mechanical cycling was performed played a strong role on residual strain, dissipated energy and also on the critical stress to induce martensite, being consistent with the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship. It was found that an increase in test temperature resulted in more significant changes in the alloy’s functional behavior, but cyclic stability tended to be reached within fewer cycles. X-ray diffraction results showed that no martensite was stabilized at any condition and that austenite diffraction peaks intensities increased with test temperature, which was attributed to stress relaxation. Tensile tests until rupture and three point bending tests revealed that the mechanical response of the specimens cycled at higher temperatures and as received were fairly similar, and that specimens cycled at lower temperatures exhibited a slightly higher flexibility.

Mechanical Properties of Nanoceramic Zirconia Coatings on NiTi Orthodontic Wires

Nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys have been largely applied in biomedical devices due to their special properties of superelasticity and shape memory. Even though NiTi generally displays good corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, mechanical fatigue and fretting-corrosion resistance remain important challenges in a number of applications, since it can accelerate nickel ions releasing, that have been reported as cytotoxic, mutagenic, and allergenic. This study aims to develop an appropriate coating to help delaying crack nucleation and corrosion in NiTi alloys. Zirconia (ZrO2) coating stands as a good candidate to improve the corrosion and wear resistance of metallic substrates and, in this work, it was obtained by electrodeposition on NiTi superelastic and shape memory orthodontic wires. The surface morphology and the chemical composition of the coated samples were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The mechanical response was evaluated by three-point bending tests. The results showed that the ZrO2 layer was uniform and well adhered to the NiTi subtract. Additionally, it was observed that this coating was capable of undergoing severe deformation without cracking, indicating a potential increase in fatigue resistance of the conjugate.