Influence of gallium on the surface properties of zinc based glass polyalkenoate cements

• The addition of Ga3+ ions in a GPC result in a change in the surface charge.
• Increased surface hydrophilicity was shown using contact angle of water.
• Ion release profiling showed that Ga3+ release is amount dependent.
• Antibacterial properties were a result of the Zn2+ ion release, not Ga3+.

This study investigates the effect of gallium (Ga) additions, substituting for zinc (Zn), on the physio-chemical surface properties of aluminium-free glass polyalkenoate cements (GPCs). Substituting Zn with Ga resulted in a significant increase in hydrophilicity and thusly wettability, as shown by a decrease in water contact angle. Increasing Ga resulted in increased Zn release, irrespective of decreasing Zn content of the starting glass. This resulted in increased antibacterial efficiency, against Escherichia coli, but not Staphylococcus epidermidis. Ga was shown to have no effect on antibacterial efficiency.