Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Recent theoretical and experimental studies, suggest that Carbon nanotubes are 10-100 times higher than the strongest steel at a fraction of the weight. There are two main types of CNTs that can have high structural perfection. Single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) consist of a single graphite sheet seamlessly wrapped into a cylindrical tube. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) comprise an array of such nanotubes concentrically nested like rings of a tree trunk. Denture base acrylics have been reinforced with different materials with limited success. No single reinforced material has showed a great statistical difference in mechanical improvement. The goal of this investigation was to study the effects of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes reinforcement on the mechanical properties of commercially available denture base PMMA. Denture Base material was reinforced with Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) at dispersion of 0.25 wt % (group 1), 0.50 wt % (group 2), 0.75 wt % (group 3) and 0.0 wt % (group 4, control). Samples from each group were evaluated for microhardness, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and fracture toughness. The samples were tested in two conditions, as manufactured (dry) and after storing at 37 C for 7 days (wet). Data from four experiments was analyzed by ANOVA. All control sample values were in the range of acceptance compared with previous studies. Higher values were obtained for the control groups for flexural strength and modulus compared with the experimental samples. (p < 0.05) There was no statistical difference regarding fracture toughness between control and experimental groups. A statistical difference was observed in Hardness. The experimental group showed higher values under compression.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Background: Interim restoration for a lost anterior tooth is often needed for temporary esthetic and functional purposes. Materials for interim restorations usually have less strength than ceramic or gold and can suffer from fracture. Several approaches have been proposed to reinforce interim restorations, among which fiber reinforcement has been regarded as one of the most effective methods. However, some studies have found that the limitation of this method is the poor polymerization between the fibers and the composite resin, which can cause debonding and failure. 64 Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different polymerization methods as well as fiber types on the mechanical behavior of fiberreinforced composite resin. Material and Methods: A 0.2-mm thick fiber layer from strip fibers or mesh fibers embedded in uncured monomers w as fabricated with polymerization (two-step method) or without polymerization (one-step method), on top of which a 1.8-mm composite layer was added to make a bar-shape sample, followed by a final polymerization. Seventy-five specimens were fabricated and divided into one control group and four experimental groups (n=15), according to the type of glass fiber (strip or mesh) and polymerization methods (one-step or two-step). Specimens were tested for flexural strength, flexural modulus, and microhardness. The failure modes of specimens were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The fiber types showed significant effect on the flexural strength of test specimens (F = 469.48; p < 0.05), but the polymerization methods had no significant effect (F = 0.05; p = 0.82). The interaction between these two variables was not significant (F = 1.73; p = 0.19). In addition, both fiber types and polymerization steps affected the flexural modulus of test specimens (F = 9.71; p < 0.05 for fiber type, and F = 12.17; p < 0.05 for polymerization method). However, the interaction between these two variables was not significant (F = 0.40; p = 0.53). Both fiber types and polymerization steps affected the Knoop hardness number of test specimens (F = 5.73; p < 0.05 for polymerization method. and F = 349.99; p < 0.05 for fiber type) and the interaction between these two variables was also significant (F = 5.73; p < 0.05). SEM images revealed the failure mode tended to become repairable while fiber reinforcement was 65 existed. However, different polymerization methods did not change the failure mode. Conclusion: The strip fibers showed better mechanical behavior than mesh fibers and were suggested for use in composite resin reinforcement. However, different polymerization methods did not have significant effect on the strength and the failure mode of fiber-reinforced composite