Phase behaviors of colloidal analogs of bent-core liquid crystals.

Bent-core liquid crystal (LC) molecules are known to form mesophases with fascinating polar order and supramolecular chirality despite the achiral nature of the mesogens. The assembly of colloidal particles with geometrical similarity to bent-core molecular mesogens not only provides new insights into the physical behaviors of atoms or molecules but also leads to new materials with broad applications. Despite tremendous progress in colloidal synthesis and assembly, there has been a lack of colloidal model systems of bent-core molecular mesogens for LC property discovery and application development. This article describes a systematic study on the phase behaviors of colloidal analogs of bent-core LC mesogens in both experiments and simulations. We demonstrated that bent rods with controlled bending angle (α) and aspect ratio (L/D, with L and D as the length and diameter of each rod arm, respectively) can spontaneously assemble into several typical banana phases including smectic A, smectic C, synclinic tilted antiferroelectric-like smectic, and twist smectic phases, resembling bent-core LC molecules. The formation and transition of these phases were found to be strongly dependent on the geometric parameters of rods. Phase diagrams were developed to illustrate the existence and stability range of all the LC phases in α and L/D space. This work opens the door to the development of novel complex types of molecular or colloidal self-organization and new functional materials with electro-optical or nonlinear optical properties.

High modulus nanopowder reinforced dimethacrylate matrix composites for dental cement applications.

Results from the study of a novel, high modulus nanopowder filled resin composite are presented. This composite is developed to serve (1) as a high stiffness support to all-ceramic crowns and (2) as a means of joining independently fabricated crown core and veneer layers. Nanosized Al(2)O(3) (average particle size 47 nm) reinforcement provides stiffness across joins. Two systems are examined: Al(2)O(3) with 50:50 bis-GMA:TEGDMA monomers (ALBT) and Al(2)O(3) with pure TEGDMA (ALT). To obtain higher filler levels, surfactant is used to aid mixing and increase maximum weight percent of nanopowder filler from 72 to 80. The loading level of Al(2)O(3) has significant effects on composite properties. The elastic modulus for cured ALBT systems increases from 4.6 GPa (0 wt % filler) to 29.2 GPa (80 wt % filler). The elastic modulus for cured ALT systems increases from 3.0 GPa (0 wt % filler) to 22.9 GPa (80 wt % filler). Similarly, ALBT hardness increases from 200 MPa (0% filler) to 949 MPa (80 wt % filler), and ALT hardness increases from 93 MPa (0% filler) to 760 MPa (80 wt % filler). Our results indicate that with a generally monodispersed nanosized high modulus filler relatively high elastic modulus resin based composite cements are possible.

Materials design in the performance of all-ceramic crowns.

Results from a systematic study of damage in material structures representing the basic elements of dental crowns are reported. Tests are made on model flat-layer specimens fabricated from various dental ceramic combinations bonded to dentin-like polymer substrates, in bilayer (ceramic/polymer) and trilayer (ceramic/ceramic/polymer) configurations. The specimens are loaded at their top surfaces with spherical indenters, in simulation of occlusal function. The onset of fracture is observed in situ using a video camera system mounted beneath the transparent polymer substrate. Critical loads to induce fracture and deformation at the ceramic top and bottom surfaces are measured as functions of layer thickness and contact duration. Radial cracking at the ceramic undersurface occurs at relatively low loads, especially in thinner layers. Fracture mechanics relations are used to confirm the experimental data trends, and to provide explicit dependencies of critical loads in terms of key variables: material-elastic modulus, hardness, strength and toughness; geometric-layer thicknesses and contact radius. Tougher, harder and (especially) stronger materials show superior damage resistance. Critical loads depend strongly (quadratically) on crown net thickness. The analytic relations provide a sound basis for the materials design of next-generation dental crowns.

Scratch hardness and chipping of dental ceramics under different environments.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this program was to identify promising environments that could efficiently minimize machining-induced damage of dental materials. METHODS: Single point abrasion (SPA) scratch testing was used on five materials to determine the scratch hardness and amount of edge chipping as functions of chemical environment, including air, water, saline and glycerol solutions. Limited testing was also done under additional environments expected to promote chemomachining effects via crack growth promotion or debris removal. A conical diamond indenter and a conventional tungsten carbide machining tool were used in the scratch tests. One-way ANOVA analysis was used to determine statistical differences among the variables. RESULTS: There was a consistent trend across materials that the water and saline yielded the lowest values of scratch hardness, air the next lowest, and the tests performed in glycerol yielded the highest hardness values. The measured hardness values using the conical diamond tool in the glycerol environments were about twice the hardness values measured under water and saline solutions. Environmental effects on chipping were minimal, but a linear relationship between load and per cent chipping was determined for the WC tool within the 10-50 N test range. The choice of scratch tool strongly affected scratch hardness and chipping tendency. SIGNIFICANCE: The chemical environment had an effect on machining characteristics, but the effects were more dependent on tool interactions rather than material specific properties. As a result, it may not be possible to utilize a particular single environment to substantially improve the damage response of dental materials to machining operations. Improvements in damage resistance can be environmentally obtained, but only for shallow cuts (finishing operations).

Characterization of damage modes in dental ceramic bilayer structures.

Results of contact tests using spherical indenters on flat ceramic coating layers bonded to compliant substrates are reported for selected dental ceramics. Critical loads to produce various damage modes, cone cracking, and quasiplasticity at the top surfaces and radial cracking at the lower (inner) surfaces are measured as a function of ceramic-layer thickness. It is proposed that these damage modes, especially radial cracking, are directly relevant to the failure of all-ceramic dental crowns. The critical load data are analyzed with the use of explicit fracture-mechanics relations, expressible in terms of routinely measurable material parameters (elastic modulus, strength, toughness, hardness) and essential geometrical variables (layer thickness, contact radius). The utility of such analyses in the design of ceramic/substrate bilayer systems for optimal resistance to lifetime-threatening damage is discussed.