The aim of this work was to examine the possibility of modification of
commercial denture base materials with itaconic acid esters, in order to
obtain material with less toxicity and higher biocompatibility. Despite their
relatively higher price compared to methacrylates, itaconic acid and
itaconates are materials of choice for environmentally friendly applications,
because they are not produced from petrochemical sources, but from plants.
Commercial system based on poly(methyl methacrylate) was modified using
ditetrahydrofurfuryl itaconate (DTHFI), wherein the ratio of DTHFI was varied
from 2.5 to 10% by weight. Copolymerization was confirmed using FTIR
spectroscopy, while SEM analysis showed the absence of micro defects and
pores in the structure. The effect of the itaconate content on the absorption
of fluids, the residual monomer content, thermal, dynamic-mechanical and
mechanical properties (hardness, toughness, stress and elongation at break)
was investigated. It was found that the addition of DTHFI significantly
reduced the amount of residual methyl methacrylate, what made these materials
less toxic. It was shown that the increase in DTHFI content gave materials
with decreased glass transition temperature, as well as with decreased
storage modulus, ultimate tensile strength and impact fracture resistance,
however mechanical properties were in the rang prescribed by ADA standards,
and can be used in practice. The deterioration of mechanical properties was
therefore worth losing in order to gain lesser toxicity of the leached
monomer.
The Mechanical Properties of a Poly(methyl methacrylate) Denture Base Material Modified with Dimethyl Itaconate and Di-n-butyl Itaconate
