The Effect of Zirconium Silicate Nanopowder Reinforcement on Some Mechanical and Physical Properties of Heat Cured Poly Methyl Methacrylate Denture Base Materials

Abstract

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) has relatively unsatisfactory mechanical properties such as low flexural strength and impact strength also dimensional instability. Material and method: Zirconium silicate nanoparticles were coated with a layer of trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate (TMSPM) before sonication in monomer (MMA) with the percentages 1% and 1.5% by weight then mixed with powder using conventional procedure, (150) samples were prepared and divided into three groups, each group consisted of (50) samples, the first group prepared from PMMA without addition (control), another group with the addition of 1% wt Zrsio 4 nanoparticles (experimental) and the third one with 1.5% wt Zrsio4 nanoparticles (experimental). Each group was divided into 5 sub-groups according to the test performed. The tests conducted impact strength, transverse strength, indentation hardness (shore D), surface roughness, water sorption and solubility. The size, shape and distribution of nanofiller were estimated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) .The results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and LSD test. Result: Highly significant increase in impact strength, transverse strength and surface hardness occurred with the incorporation of 1.5% wt Zirconium silicate nanofiller but non-significant increase in impact strength, significant increase in transverse strength and highly significant increase in surface hardness occurred with the incorporation of 1% wt Zrsio4 nanofiller. Non-significant increase in surface roughness with both 1% and 1.5% wt Zrsio4 . Highly significant decrease in water sorption and solubility with 1.5% wt Zrsio4 nanofiller and non-significant decrease in water sorption and solubility with 1% wt Zrsio4 compared with control group. Conclusion: The maximum increase in impact strength, transverse strength, and surface hardness was observed in denture base nano composite containing 1.5% Zrsio4. In addition, highly significant decrease in water sorption and solubility and non-significant increase in surface roughness was also noticed.