Abstract
SiO2-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA)-based composites have been widely used as biomaterials owing to their biocompatibility. However, they have not yet been applied as tooth restorative materials because of their poor mechanical properties. In the present paper, we develop a novel SiO2/pHEMA-based composite with a polymer-infiltrated network (PICN) structure for use in dental restorative materials. A mixture of SiO2 nanoparticles and a poly(vinyl alcohol) binder was sintered at 950 °C to fabricate a porous SiO2 block. A monomer mixture containing 70 wt%-HEMA/30 wt%-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and a benzoyl peroxide initiator was infiltrated into the porous SiO2 block and heat-polymerized to fabricate the SiO2/pHEMA-based composite with a PICN structure. The composite was characterized according to its mechanical properties, surface free energy, and bonding properties with a dental adhesive. The flexural strength was 112.5 ± 18.7 MPa, the flexural modulus was 13.6 ± 3.4 GPa, and the Vickers hardness was 168.2 ± 16.1, which are similar values to human teeth. The surface free energy of the polar component of the composite was 19.6 ± 2.5 mN/m, suggesting that this composite has an active surface for bonding with the adhesive. The composite bonded well to the adhesive, in the presence of a silane coupling agent. The SiO2/pHEMA-based composite was demonstrated to be a potential candidate for dental restorative materials.
Highlights
Biomimetic concepts have been widely adapted for the development of advanced biomaterials that imitate the biological functions, mechanical properties, or tissue morphologies of natural life forms [1]
In contemporary dental restorative materials, polymer-infiltrated ceramic network (PICN) composites are the closest materials to human teeth in terms of their mechanical properties, such as their hardness and elasticity [2,3]
A PICN composite consists of dual network structures of a ceramic skeleton and a polymer that infiltrates into the continuous pores of the ceramic [2,4,5]
Summary
Biomimetic concepts have been widely adapted for the development of advanced biomaterials that imitate the biological functions, mechanical properties, or tissue morphologies of natural life forms [1]. Many studies have focused on developing biomaterials that mimic the hard tissues of enamel and dentin for tooth restoration, wherein a mechanical compatibility with teeth is one of the most important properties of a tooth restorative material. In contemporary dental restorative materials, polymer-infiltrated ceramic network (PICN) composites are the closest materials to human teeth (enamel and dentin) in terms of their mechanical properties, such as their hardness and elasticity [2,3]. A PICN composite consists of dual network structures of a ceramic skeleton and a polymer (resin) that infiltrates into the continuous pores of the ceramic [2,4,5]. Silica (SiO2 )-based [8,9,10], aluminosilicate-based [11,12], and zirconia-based [13,14] composites have been developed
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