PREPARATION AND EVALUATION OF ACRYLIC ACID,ITACONIC ACID,AND N-METHACRYLOYLGLUTAMIC ACID COPOLYMERS FOR USE IN GLASS-IONOMER TYPE DENTAL RESTORATIVES

A series of copolymers containing various molar ratios of acrylic acid, itaconic acid and N-methacryloylglutamic acid were prepared in aqueous solution, using standard free-radical polymerization conditions. Specimens for mechanical property studies were prepared by mixing water solutions of the copolymers (50:50, wt:wt) with a commercial, calcium-fluoroaluminosilicate glass powder, with curing or hardening achieved by salt-bridge formation. The glass powder used in the formulation(s) was the same as that used in Fuji II (GC America) glass-ionomer. The working and setting times of the various formulations were evaluated. The compressive strength was used as the basic screening property to find the optimum molar ratio of the three monomers. The diametral tensile strength, flexural strength and Knoop surface hardness of the cured materials were also determined. All mechanical properties were measured after the specimens were conditioned in distilled water for 7 days at 37°C. Based on the compressive strength (CS), poly (AA-co-IA-co-MGA) with a monomers ratio of 8:1:1, respectively, showed the highest CS (269.9 MPa). The 8:1:1 copolymer with different molecular weights were also prepared to evaluate the effect of MW on the compressive strength. The optimum MW copolymer gave a glass-ionomer having the compressive strength improved by 30%, compared to Fuji II (293.9 MPa vs. 224.9 MPa). The same polymer solution was also mixed with glass powders used in other commercial glass-ionomers, i. e., Ketac-Molar (ESPE, Seefeld, Germany), α-Fil and α-Silver (DMG, Hamburg, Germany) to produce conventional glass-ionomers test specimens. The mechanical properties of these materials were also obtained and compared to the Fuji II, Ketac-Molar, α-Fil and α-Silver controls.