Reinforcement of Glass Ionomer Cement: Incorporating with Silk Fiber

The aim of this study was to synthesize glass ionomer-silk fiber composite and examining the effect of adding natural degummed silk fiber on the mechanical properties of glass ionomer cement (GIC). For this purpose, natural degummed silk fibers with 1 mm length and 13-16 μm diameter were added to the ceramic component of a commercial glass ionomer cement in 1, 3, and 5 wt. %. Compressive strength (CS), three-point flexural strength (FS) and diametral tensile strength (DTS) of the prepared glass ionomer-silk fiber were measured. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the obtained results. Moreover, SEM technique was used for the investigation of the surface morphology of the as-prepared composite and the fractured area. The results showed that the highest compressive strength, flexural strength and diametral tensile strength were obtained using 3, 3, and 5 wt. % of silk fiber, respectively. However, at 3 wt. % of silk fiber, all three measures of strength exhibited a significant increase compared to the commercial GIC. Therefore, it can be suggested that the addition of 3 wt. % silk fiber to the ceramic component of GIC is desired for dental restorations and orthopedic implant applications, where the maximum strength in all three modes of loading would be beneficial.