Effect of the porosity of the filler aggregates on the setting expansion of investment material.

Twenty experimental phosphate-bonded investments were prepared by the mixing of two types of fillers (spherical glass beads and irregularly shaped silica particles) with five types of filler aggregates of different porosities, and two different ratios of MgO to NH4H2PO4. These investments were mixed with three different liquids, and their setting expansion, time until setting expansion began (induction time), and fluidity were measured under constant experimental conditions. The following results were obtained: (1) The setting expansion was significantly related to bulk porosity of filler aggregates, not to packed porosity, despite variations in type of filler, ratio of MgO to NH4H2PO4 or type of liquid; and (2) the fluidity and the time until setting expansion began were also related to the bulk porosity of the filler aggregates.