Effect of filler’s surface treatment on mechanical properties of ceramic polymer composites used in dentistry
Mikołaj Szafran, Gabriel Rokicki, Ewa Bobryk, Baeta Szczęsna Politechnika Warszawska, Wydział Chemiczny, ul. Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warszawa
Quarterly No. 3, 2006 pages 78-82
DOI:
keywords: ceramic-polymer composites, silane treatment, degree of compaction, microhardness, flexural strength
abstract Ceramic-polymer composites are used in dentistry for nearly 30 years and due to their ability of composition modification they are the most promising materials. Also patient’s expectations on dentistry fillings outlook made these materials popular. However their’s durablity and mechanical properties still are not as good as amalgam’s. Dental composites have structure similar to the tooth tissue. They consist of polymer resin, inorganic filler and preadhesion agent. Organic matrix is composition of dimethacrylic monomers usually Bis-GMA and TEGMA monomers. Silica, strontium, barium and borosilicate glass are ceramic fillers. They increase strength and decrease polymerization shrinkage. Improvement of adhesion of inorganic glass to organic resin is achieved through silanization process. Commonly used silane is methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. It has hydrolysable group and organofunctional group attached to silicon by an alkyl bridge. Methoxy groups undergo hydrolysis and condensation reactions in the presence of moisture. The objective of the study was to conduct research on ceramic-polymer composites used as dental fillings. The research verified influence of filler’s surface treatment on functional properties of composite materials. In these composites ceramic powder is dispersed phase and polymer- -continous phase. Because of specifity of both materials, good coupling is necessary. This task was conducted by using preadhesion agent, which increased adherence on filler - resin interface and improved mechanical properties of composite samples. The latest literature data indicate that it can be achieved by optymalization quantity of silane and method of filler treatment. It was proved that silanization allows to input more filler into organic resin (Tab. 1) and enhances microhardness (Fig. 2) and flexural strength (Fig. 3) of composite samples.