Nano Biomedicine
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
 Preparation and Properties of Thermoplastic-resin-based Nanocomposites for the Development of Esthetic Orthodontic Wires

 Shuichi YAMAGATA1, Tsukasa AKASAKA2, Motohiro UO2, Natsumi USHIJIMA3, Yoshinobu NODASAKA3, Junichiro IIDA1, and Fumio WATARI2

 1Department of Orthodontics, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
2Department of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
3Support Section for Education and Research, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Nano Biomedicine 2009;1(2): 151-158, (Dec 30)
Synopsis
Transparent PMMA/layered silicate nanocomposites were fabricated by a solution intercalation method. Montmorillonite (MMT), organically modified with alkylammonium ions, was selected as the filler for reinforcement. Platelets of organically modified MMT were well-dispersed macro-scopically in dissolved PMMA. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that a peak regarded as a basal spacing was shifted toward the lower 2θ values, indicating a diffusion of PMMA polymer chains into interlayer regions of MMT. TEM micrographs revealed well-intercalated and partially exfoli-ated structures of organically modified MMT. Board-shaped specimens used for flexural tests were fabricated by compression molding at 230°C. The specimens were transparent enough for their use as esthetic orthodontic wires. The flexural modulus of the nanocomposites increased marginally, relative to that of PMMA, with the increasing amount of clay.

Key words: nanocomposites, PMMA, montmorillonite, orthodontic wire, esthetics

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