Abstract
The creation of clinically patient-specific 3D-printed biomedical appliances that can withstand the physical stresses of the complex biological environment is an important objective. To that end, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of aminated nanodiamonds (A-NDs) as nanofillers in biological-grade acrylate-based 3D-printed materials. Solution-based mixing was used to incorporate 0.1 wt% purified nanodiamond (NDs) and A-NDs into UV-polymerized poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The ND and A-ND nanocomposites showed significantly lower water contact angles (p < 0.001) and solubilities (p < 0.05) compared to those of the control. Both nanocomposites showed markedly improved mechanical properties, with the A-ND-containing nanocomposite showing a statistically significant increase in the flexural strength (p < 0.001), elastic modulus (p < 0.01), and impact strength (p < 0.001) compared to the control and ND-containing groups. The Vickers hardness and wear-resistance values of the A-ND-incorporated material were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than those of the control and were comparable to the values observed for the ND-containing group. In addition, trueness analysis was used to verify that 3D-printed orthodontic brackets prepared with the A-ND- and ND-nanocomposites exhibited no significant differences in accuracy. Hence, we conclude that the successful incorporation of 0.1 wt% A-ND in UV-polymerized PMMA resin significantly improves the mechanical properties of the resin for the additive manufacturing of precisive 3D-printed biomedical appliances.
Highlights
Technological advancements in recent years have driven product design and manufacturing processes
poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based polymeric materials form a representative group of materials for the biomedical additive manufacturing of patient-specific and sophisticated biomedical appliances [3]
In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of aminated nanodiamonds (A-NDs) as nanofiller in biological-grade acrylate-based 3D printed materials, with the aim of creating patient-specific 3D-printed biomedical appliances that can withstand the physical stresses of the complex biological environment
Summary
Technological advancements in recent years have driven product design and manufacturing processes. Three-dimensional (3D) printing or direct digital manufacturing in the form of additive manufacturing has offered unique advantages for the manufacturing of intricate custom designs with short lead-times and small environmental footprints [1]. (methyl methacrylate)-based (PMMA-based) acrylic resins are a commonly used material in both medical and dental applications because of their cost effectiveness, appropriate mechanical strengths, and ease of handling. PMMA-based polymeric materials form a representative group of materials for the biomedical additive manufacturing of patient-specific and sophisticated biomedical appliances (e.g., cranial implants, maxillofacial surgical splints, intraoral appliances and as biomimetic scaffolds) [3]. The physical properties of most resin-based appliances deteriorate as a result of the nature of their constituent materials, which absorb fluids, such as saliva, in the harsh oral environment, leading to a reduction in long-term performance [4]
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