Abstract
Nanotechnology can improve the performance of dental polymers. The objective of this study was to modify the surfaces of nanoparticles with silanes and proteins, characterize nanoparticles’ agglomeration levels and interfaces between nanoparticles and the polymeric matrix. Undoped (n-TiO2), nitrogen-doped (N_TiO2) and nitrogen-fluorine co-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NF_TiO2) were synthesized and subjected to surface modification procedures in preparation for Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) characterizations. Experimental adhesives were manually synthesized by incorporating 20% (v/v) of n-TiO2, N_TiO2 or NF_TiO2 (as-synthesized or surface-modified) into OptiBond Solo Plus (OPTB). Specimens (n = 15/group; d = 6.0 mm, t = 0.5 mm) of OPTB and experimental adhesives were characterized using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS), 2-D ToF-SIMS chemical imaging and SANS. SAXS results indicated that surface-modified nanoparticles displayed higher scattering intensities in a particle-size dependent manner. ToF-SIMS results demonstrated that nanoparticles’ incorporation did not adversely impact the parental polymer. 2-D ToF-SIMS chemical imaging demonstrated the distribution of Ti+ and confirmed nitrogen-doping levels. SANS results confirmed nanoparticles’ functionalization and revealed the interfaces between nanoparticles and the polymer matrix. Metaloxide nanoparticles were successfully fabricated, incorporated and covalently functionalized in a commercial dental adhesive resin, thereby supporting the utilization of nanotechnology in dentistry.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 9811 |
Journal | Scientific Reports |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 1 2020 |
Funding
The present research was made possible in part by funding through the award project number HR16-131, from the Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. The synthesis, doping, surface-modification and advanced characterization of titania nanoparticles were conducted at Center for Nanophase and Materials Science (CNMS2018-034) and the High Flux Isotope Reactor (IPTS-20335.1) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is a DOE Office of Science user facility. The ToF-SIMS characterization of experimental materials containing synthesized nanoparticles was conducted at CNMS using instrumentation within ORNL’s Materials Characterization Core provided by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The Bio-SANS of the Center for Structural Molecular Biology at the High Flux Isotope Reactor is supported by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research of the US Department of Energy.