Change in the Mechanical Behaviour of Facial Elastomers after Weathering and Chemical Disinfection

Weathering and chemical disinfection are some of the parameters that lead to the deterioration of the facial elastomers over a period of time, especially the mechanical properties; tensile and tear strength. This study evaluated the effect of weathering and chemical disinfection on the tensile strength of two commercially available Room Temperature Vulcanizing silicone; M511 and A2000. The sample size of n=80 (n=40, each material) fabricated in a custom-made mold. The samples were suspended outdoor in Indian climatic conditions for a year and disinfected daily using commercially available disinfectant. The tensile strength tabulated before and after weathering, chemical disinfection using Universal Testing Machine (Instron) in the unit of Kg/cm2. Statistical analysis done using student paired t test showed significant difference (p-value=0.000**). A2000 showed better results compared to M511, therefore, giving us a clear choice between the two materials.