Article 4

Development of PMMA/TiO 2 nanocomposites as excellent dental materials

This paper presents the application of the in-situ synthesized nanocomposites of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and TiO 2 for use as dental materials. TiO 2 nanoparticles with different percentages (1wt% and 2 wt%) were blended with PMMA through a melt compounding process. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by a micro-indentation test, scratch test, and field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis. The effects of different vol. % of TiO 2 on the mechanical properties of the composites were studied. The evaluation of the mechanical properties of the composites revealed that the utilization of TiO 2 as a reinforcing agent strengthened the polymer. The morphological observation demonstrated the presence of significant adhesion between TiO 2 and the polymer matrixes with a homogeneous distribution of TiO 2 in the polymer matrix. The proper compatibilization between TiO 2 and the polymer matrix enhanced the mechanical properties