The Development of Filler Morphology in Dental Resin Composites: A Review

Dental resin composites (DRCs) with diverse fillers added are widely-used restorative materials to repair tooth defects. The addition of fillers brings an improvement in the mechanical properties of DRCs. In the past decade, diverse fillers have emerged. However, the change of emerging fillers mainly focuses on the chemical composition, while the morphologic characteristics changes are often ignored. The fillers with new morphologies not only have the advantages of traditional fillers (particles, fibrous filler, etc.), but also endow some additional functional characteristics (stronger bonding ability to resin matrix, polymerization resistance, and wear resistance, drug release control ability, etc.). Moreover, some new morphologies are closely related to the improvement of traditional fillers, porous filler vs. glass particles, core-sheath fibrous vs. fibrous, etc. Some other new morphology fillers are combinations of traditional fillers, UHA vs. HA particles and fibrous, tetrapod-like whisker vs. whisker and fibrous filler, mesoporous silica vs. porous and silica particles. In this review, we give an overall description and a preliminary summary of the fillers, as well as our perspectives on the future direction of the development of novel fillers for next-generation DRCs.

Study of the Residual Length of Discrete Carbon Fibers in Polyetherimide Based Composites for 3D-Printing

The influence of the multiplicity of extrusion and melt viscosity on the residual length of discrete carbon fibers in composites based on polyetherimide for 3D-printing is estimated. A technique for measuring the residual length of carbon fibers in composites is proposed. The residual length of carbon fibers in composites containing from 10 to 40% fibrous filler with different initial linear dimensions has been determined. It was found that the addition of a melt viscosity modifier to a carbon-filled composite helps to maintain the linear dimensions of the fiber filler particles, thereby increasing the physical and mechanical properties of the material.

Study Of Structure Formation Of Organic-Mineral Compositions With Fibrous Filler By Electron Microscopy Method

The article presents the study of processes of structure formation of cement stone and products of hardening of organic-mineral compositions with fibrous filler (shavings) by the electronic scanning microscopy method. It is established that the additive-free cement stone at the age of 28 days has a dense and homogeneous structure, consists of calcium hydro-silicates, Portlandite and calcite - newgrowths characteristic for cement systems. Cellulose fibers, which make up the bulk of the substance of shavings, are sufficiently active, which determines the high adhesion of the hydration products of the cement binder to their surface. It is shown that the introduction of shavings into the organo-mineral composition leads to inhibition of cement hydration processes. Organo-mineral compositions with different shavings content (two compositions) were analyzed. The first composition is characterized by a fairly dense structure, the cement stone consists of globular nanoscale nuclei of hydrosilicates, Portlandite and calcite. The second composition has a loose porous structure, cement stone consists of non-hydrated cement grains, newgrowths are represented by calcite and vaterite. The structure of the contact zone "osprey fiber-cement stone" in the organo-mineral composition of the first composition indicates a good adhesion of the filler surface with the phases of hydrated cement. The use of shavings as a fibrous filler (the first composition) increases the tensile and bending strength, as well as the wear resistance of organo-mineral compositions. The data obtained by scanning electron microscopy are confirmed by the results of studying the processes of structure formation of cement stone by quantitative x-ray phase analysis.

Influence of the binder filtration on residual stresses at the composite constructions manufacturing

Stress changes generated during the composite winding on the mandrel surface is investigated. A model of liquid binder filtration through the fibrous filler in the form of disc-shaped gap in the structure of the coil-processing material is proposed. An equation, considering the stress decrease occurring in consequence of the coils winding due to binder filtration is suggested. Experimental results of unidirectional rings winding on mandrels studied using strain gages are demonstrated.