Synthesis and characterization of hybrid silica/PMMA nanoparticles and their use as filler in dental composites

The effect of hybrid silica/poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles on the properties of composites for dental restoration was evaluated. Hybrid nanoparticles with silica as core and PMMA as shell were obtained by a seeded emulsion polymerization process. Fourier transform infrared spectrum of the hybrid nanoparticles shows an intense peak at 1730 cm− 1, corresponding to carbonyl groups (CO) of the ester. The thermal stability of the hybrid particles decreases with increasing amounts of PMMA and the residual mass at 700 °C corresponds to the silica content in the hybrid particles. Composites were obtained by dispersing nanoparticles (silica or hybrid), as fillers, in a resin—bis glycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA)/triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) (40%/60% (w/w)). The paste was then placed in a mold and polymerized under light irradiation. During the preparation of the composites, with the hybrid nanoparticles, the monomers swell the PMMA shell and after photo-curing, a semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) is obtained around the silica core. The properties of the composites, obtained using the hybrid nanoparticles, depend on the filler content and the amount of PMMA in the semi-IPN matrix. For composites with similar inorganic filler contents, the composites with low amounts of PMMA shell had higher modulus than those in which silica was used as the filler.