The nanofiller effect on properties of experimental graphene dental nanocomposites

Abstract

AbstractThe purpose of the present study is to analyze the effect of the new nanofiller type graphene–gold nanoparticles on the surface structure and surface properties of some dental nanocomposites based on BisGMA/triethyleneglicol dimethacrylate matrix. Materials used in our study were three experimental nanocomposites, two of them based on graphene–gold nanoparticles as filler of different percent. As reference material, a commercial dental nanocomposite product named Herculite XRV Ultra was used. FTIR-ATR spectroscopy was used to determine the residual double bonds and the degree of conversion (DC) after 1 and 21 days of immersion in distilled water at 37 °C. The difference in DC between the experimental materials was statistically analyzed by one tail, paired Student’s t-Tests, using Graph Pod. Surface properties were evaluated through surface free energy using contact angle measurement while roughness and topography was assessed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). To determine the amount of filler ...