Abstract:

Objective To study the relationships between the hardness of specimen and curing temperature, and time. Methods
Thirty specimens of muscle, liver, lung, intestine and brain, 6 each were collected from formalin-fixed human cadavers and
processed with the same plastination procedure before curing. During the curing process, the specimens were placed in a sealed
chamber, exposed to Hoffen R6 gas and cured for 49 days at different temperature. Results During the curing process, the hardness
of specimens increased with time. The liver specimen had medium hardness in 3 days, and the brain in 7 days, and the lung,
intestine and muscle in 14 days. The hardness of the liver increased rapidly at 30℃，45℃，60℃ temperature. The hardness
of the brain specimen increased rapidly at high temperature. The obvious hardness difference of muscle specimen is not observed
in the curing of two weeks among different temperature conditions. After two weeks of hardening, the hardness of muscle increased
rapidly at high temperatures. No obvious hardness differences of the specimens of lung and intestine were observed in two weeks
during curing at different temperature conditions. Conclusion The low-temperature curing (at room temperature, 30℃) is better
for the specimens of liver, intestine, and lung . The specimens of brain and muscle require low temperature curing (at room
temperature, 30℃) at first, and then high temperature curing (45℃, 60℃).

Key words:  Silicone, Hardness, Time, Temperature, Curing, Human