Physical Chemistry in Acrylate Resins
Polymers are long-chain molecules made by
joining together many small molecules.
❑ The small molecules from which the polymer is
built are called monomers.
❑ Polymers that are stable in normal use, but at
some stages of their manufacture are shaped or
molded by heat or pressure, or both are known
as plastics. Polyethylene, for example, can be
easily deformed and is therefore classed as a
plastic material.
There are three main polymerization stages
namely:
i) Initiation stage
ii) Propagation stage, and
iii) Finally, termination occurs.
Copolymers
❑ The impact strength of acrylic polymers can be significantly
improved by the incorporation of elastomers via mechanical
mixing.
❑ The elastomer can absorb energy from impact and thus protects
the acrylic resin from fracture.
An alternative of the mechanical addition of elastomers is the use
of acrylic-elastomer copolymers e.g. (methylmethacrylate +
butadiene) or (methylmethacrylate + butadiene + styrene)
copolymers.
❑ In this case, traces of these monomers are added to methyl-methacrylate
monomer prior to polymerization and these guest molecules become linked
within the polymer chains themselves. Even though impact strength can be
increased almost tenfold in this way, these polymers are not widely used
mainly for their greater cost.
❑ It is known that methyl methacrylate shrinkage of 21% occurs on conversion
to polymer. This shrinkage is lowered by using higher powder/liquid ratio
(because polymer beads do not shrink). But a high content in powder makes
the mix "dry" and not easily shaped by a gypsum mold for example.
Moreover, there is not enough monomer to bind all the polymer beads
together. Optimum mixing is in the ratio 2.5: 1 by weight giving a volumetric
shrinkage of around 5-6%.
❑ Powder and liquid are applied in different ratios to control workability and dimensional
change on setting.
❑ It is known that methyl methacrylate shrinkage of 21% occurs on conversion to polymer.
This shrinkage is lowered by using higher powder/liquid ratio (because polymer beads do
not shrink). But a high content in powder makes the mix "dry" and not easily shaped by a
gypsum mold for example. Moreover, there is not enough monomer to bind all the
polymer beads together. Optimum mixing is in the ratio 2.5: 1 by weight giving a
volumetric shrinkage of around 5-6%.
Application to dental materials
• A method commonly used for dental
polymers is to
• blend the monomer with an inert filler to
form a paste.
• The paste is then split into two halves to
which initiator is added to one half and
activator is added to the other.
• On mixing the two pastes the
polymerization reaction begins and, for
dental restorative materials, is
completed in situ.
The technique of dough molding is very important to dentistry,
particularly for fabrication of denture bases.
❑ Powdered polymer beads prepared by suspension or emulsion
polymerization, containing some initiators are mixed with
monomer to form a” dough".
❑ The dough is packed into a preformed mold and the monomer
cured by applying heat.
❑ Alternatively, if the monomer contains a chemical activator the
polymerization of the monomer will occur at room temperature.
❑ Table (1-1) shows the common composition of a powder and liquid
used to prepare poly methylmethacrylate which is the most widely
used material for construction of dentures.
