Abstract:
This study evaluated the effects of surface pretreatment with different concentrations of sulfuric acid etching on surface properties and bonding between Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and a resin composite. Six groups of surface pretreatment (no pretreatment, etched with 70, 80, 85, 90, and 98% sulfuric acid for 60 s) were treated on PEEK. Surface roughness, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses were examined. Shear bond strength (SBS) and cross-sectional observations of the interfaces were performed. One-way ANOVA analysis revealed differences in surface roughness and SBS between groups. The 90 and 98% sulfuric acid etching significantly achieved the highest SBS (p<0.05). SEM and AFM demonstrated etched surfaces with wide and deep pores. The 90 and 98% sulfuric acid etching were suggested to be the optimal concentration to improve adhesion between PEEK and the resin composite.
