Tear Strength Analysis of MDX4-4210 and A-2186 Silicones with Different Intrinsic Pigments Incorporated by Mechanical and Industrial Methods

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tear strength of MDX4-4210 and A-2186 silicones with different intrinsic pigments incorporated by mechanical and industrial methods, comparing nonaged and aged groups. Materials and Methods. Twenty-four groups were created according to the American Society for Testing and Materials D-624/type C, half nonaged and half aged (n = 10): bronze mechanical MDX4-4210, bronze industrial MDX4-4210, black mechanical MDX4-4210, black industrial MDX4-4210, pink mechanical MDX4-4210, pink industrial MDX4-4210, bronze mechanical A-2186, bronze industrial A-2186, black mechanical A-2186, black industrial A-2186, pink mechanical A-2186, and pink industrial A-2186. All specimens were submitted to tear strength analysis. Data were submitted to the ANOVA and Tukey test (p<0.05). Results. An increase in the tear strength values was observed only for the bronze and black MDX4-4210, comparing nonaged and aged silicones (p<0.05), regardless of the manufacturing method. There was a difference in all comparisons between MDX4-4210 and A-2186 silicones with the same pigment type (p<0.05), regardless of the manufacturing method. In all cases, there was no difference in the manufacturing method comparing the MDX4-4210 or A-2186 groups with the same pigment. Conclusion. Accelerated aging did not influence the tear strength in all aged A-2186 silicones and in aged pink industrial and mechanical MDX4-4210 silicones. The other MDX4-4210 groups had an increase in the results after aging. In all cases compared, the A-2186 groups had higher tear strength values than the MDX4-4210 groups. Mechanical and industrial methods can be used for silicone preparation, without changing the tear strength.