Development and characterization of new AR glass fiber-reinforced cements with potential medical applications

The aim of this study was to obtain and investigate new biomedical glass fiber resin cements with improved mechanical properties and radiopacity, using alkaline‐resistant (AR) glass fibers. New light‐curing, self‐curing, and dual‐curing resin cements were obtained from AR glass fibers and BaSO4 powder mixed with 2,2‐bis[4‐(2‐hydroxy‐3‐methacryloyloxypropoxy)‐phenyl]propane and triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate monomers at different weight ratios, such as 5/20/75, 10/20/70, 20/20/60. The newly obtained cements were investigated for mechanical properties—compressive yield strength (CYS), compressive modulus (CM), diametral tensile strength (DTS)—as well as for radiopacity. Slight increases in CYS, CM, DTS and improved radiopacity with increasing amount of glass fibers were observed. The mechanical properties were found to increase in the order light‐curing < self‐curing < dual‐curing. SEM images support the reinforcement of resin cements by glass fibers. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013