Short fiber reinforced composites in dental applications

This diploma thesis deals with short-fibre reinforced composites for dental applications. Particulate barium filler, short polyacrylonitryle fibres or short glass fibres were added to the dimethacrylate matrix to study their effect on the composite material properties. Methods used for this study were thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential compensation photocalorimetry (DPC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), three point bending, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The matrix curing was defined by heat of polymerisation, degree of conversion and polymerisation rate. Composite materials were characterized by the glass transition temperature, storage moduli at 35 °C and 100 °C, elastic modulus, strength, the critical value of stress intensity factor and the critical value of energy release rate. Fracture surface investigation is also included in this thesis