AgVO3 nanorods silanized with γ-MPS: An alternative for effective dispersion of AgVO3 in dental acrylic resins improving the mechanical properties

Abstract

The heterogeneity and weak chemical interactions between unmodified AgVO3 and acrylic resins can impair this biomateriaĺs mechanical properties, limiting its clinical application. The incorporation of AgVO3 nanorods silanized with the organosilane γ–methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ–MPS) to acrylic resin was evaluated to avoid these undesirable effects. The silanized samples were analyzed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy with field emission gun (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dispersibility test in MMA. The nanorods modified using MPS were inserted in the PMMA matrix and characterized concerning the Shore-D hardness and Izod impact tests. FE-SEM and X-ray microtomography were used to analyze the dispersion and interaction of the nanorods in the matrix. The experimental results showed that acrylic groups were inserted on AgVO3 surfaces after the silanization (AgVO3-M), resulting in a significative dispersion and interaction with MMA. Nanocomposites produced with AgVO3-M showed improved dispersion and interaction with PMMA, resulting in higher Shore-D hardness and impact strength values than the material incorporated with pristine AgVO3. In conclusion, the incorporation of AgVO3 nanorods silanized with γ–MPS to PMMA produced acrylic-based nanocomposites with superior mechanical properties.