Dynamic mechanical analysis of provisional resin materials reinforced by metal oxides

In this study, several provisional resin materials were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The materials were autopolymerized PMMA and PEMA, light cured PMMA. Autopolymerized PMMA has the highest T_g (131°C) compared to that of the autopolymerized PEMA (102°C) and light cured PMMA (120°C). The storage moduli for autopolymerized PMMA, autopolymerized PEMA and light cured PMMA are 2.9, 1.8 and 2.3 GPa, respectively. The loss moduli of the same resins are 330, 300 and 350 MPa, respectively. Each of these resins were reinforced with 1%, 3% and 5% of each of metal oxides of MgO, ZrO₂ and Al₂O₃ and then studied with DMA. Small changes were observed for dynamic mechanical properties tested. However, the changes are not systematic and noticeable. This is most probably due to smaller size of metal oxides particles compared to that of polymer particle size.