Polymer induced crystal organization of composite resins.

Objectives: The elaboration of efficient dental resins requires a high degree of internal cohesion and a strong organization of the filler/matrix systems, and a good compatibility between the organic and inorganic constituents of the composite. Combining fractal aerosils and polymer constitutes an original way to realize promising dental composites. Determination of the combined roles of fractal fillers and polymers in the synthesis of composite resins, and the polymer dose in the crystal arrangement of the composite constituents, both being a requisite for the optimization of the filler/matrix compatibility.

Anisotropic crystal growth in aerosil/polymethylmethacrylate systems dispersed in dimethacrylate monomers.

Complex organized crystals were shown to grow within the settled phase composed of aggregated aerosil/polymethylmethacrylate or aerosil/poly(cetyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride) resulting from the supply of the corresponding homopolymer or the alternated copolymer to the aerosil initially dispersed in a mixture of dimethacrylate monomers. The basic suspending phase was realized by mixing 1,3-butanediol dimethacrylate and bisphenol A dimethacrylate. The crystal nucleation and growth were both extremely slow processes that developed over months.