Effect of Modification of Aluminum Borate Whiskers with Three Methods on Flexural Properties of Dental Resin Composites

Abstract

This study aimed to compare three different methods for the modification of aluminium borate whiskers and investigate the effect of aluminium borate whiskers composites on flexural properties of dental resin composites. Method A was to mix aluminium borate whiskers and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles directly. Method B was to modify the mixture of aluminium borate whiskers and SiO2nanoparticles with sol-gel process of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Method C was to modify the aluminium borate whiskers with SiO2nanoparticles which were repaired by sol-gel method of TEOS. The effects of the three methods were characterized by the TEM and SEM. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the flexural strength among three methods. Group C had a flexural strength of 149.59 ± 12.86 MPa (mean ± SD; n = 5), which is significantly higher than 95.28 ± 4.53 MPa for Group A and 123.14 ± 17.37 MPa for Group B. It is concluded that ceramic whisker reinforcement significantly improves the flexural properties of resin composites; different methods produce different effects.