Effect of filler porosity on the abrasion resistance of nanoporous silica gel/polymer composites

Objectives. This laboratory study was designed to investigate the effect of controlled nanoporosity on the wear resistance of polymeric composites reinforced with silica gel powders and to determine the mechanisms controlling the abrasive wear properties of these unique nanostructured materials. Methods. Silica gels were prepared by hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) using four different catalysts to modify the porous structure of the resulting polysilicate silanation, an organic monomer (TEGDMA) containing various initiators was introduced into the gel powders to form a paste. The various pastes were then polymerized inside a glass mold. A pin-on-disk apparatus was then used to record the specimen length and number of revolutions. Abrasive wear rates were determined by regression analysis and statistical differences were determined by analysis of variance and multiple comparisons. BET was used to characterize the filler pore structure and scanning electron microscopy was used used to visually examine the abraded surfaces. Results. Significant differences (p<0.05) in the wear rates of the experimental composites were noted. Within the range of filler porosities examined, wear resistance was found to be linearly dependent (R2=0.983) on filler pore volume. The wear rates decreased with increasing filler porosity. HCl-catalyzed gels having low porosity produced composites having relatively limited abrasion resistance. In contrast, high porosity HF-catalyzed gels produced more wear-resistant composites. The abrasive wear resistance of these nanocomposites was not significantly affected by the level of silane coupling used in these experiments. SEM evaluation suggested that better wear resistance was associated with fine-scale plastic deformation of the wear surface and the absence of filler particle pullout. Significance. Porous particles prepared via sol–gel show some promise as fillers that improve the wear resistance of photopolymerized resins. The wear resistance of the fillers appears to be directly related to nanoporous structure of the gel particles. Unlike conventional dental composites, these materials rely primarily on nanomechanical coupling for improved wear resistance. This new principle should benefit subsequent investigations.