Effect of branched urethane-methacrylic resins on mechanical properties of ceramic-polymer composites for dentistry
Mikołaj Szafran, Gabriel Rokicki, Monika Biernat, Agnieszka Cwalińska Politechnika Warszawska, Wydział Chemiczny, ul. Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warszawa, Poland
Quarterly No. 3, 2007 pages 117-121
DOI:
keywords: ceramic-polymer composites, urethane-methacrylic resin, oxygen inhibition, polymerization shrinkage, microhardness
abstract Ceramic-polymer composites are widely used as dentistry materials and they have undergone significant development since their advent. However they still have shortcomings limiting their application and need to be improved. This study is a preliminary investigation on the use of a new synthesized urethane-methacrylic resin UM1 as a component of a photo¬curable composite with low polymerization shrinkage and reduced oxygen inhibition. The results were compared with the properties of a commonly used Bis-GMA-based resin. Experimental samples were prepared from the unfilled resins and by mixing the silane-treated filler with the resins. Volumeric shrinkage and degree of conversion of the unfilled resins were examined by density measurements and FTIR spectroscopy. Filler containing samples were used for the microstructure analysis and microhardness tests. The unfilled UM1 resin showed 3.5 times higher photopolymerization rate than the resin based on Bis-GMA. UM1 consists of the monomers containing four methacrylic groups in a molecule and exhibits a very low polymerization shrinkage of 2.5% which is about 4 times lower than the shrinkage of a conventional Bis-GMA/TEGDMA system. The microhardness results of light-cured composites, containing 60% vol. of micro- and nanofiller, increased within the amount of UM1 in the system. Preliminary results showed that urethane-methacrylic resin (UM1) is a promising material and can be used as an alternative to Bis-GMA, mainly due to a relatively low polymerization shrinkage and low oxygen inhibition.