To evaluate the performance of a reactive diluent, nonylphenyl methacrylate (NPM) for toughness improvement of bisphenol‐a‐glycidyl dimethacrylate (BisGMA) and to optimise the results of such a modification.
To achieve desirable rheological and physico‐mechanical properties of BisGMA/NPM network, various compositions were made by incorporating different concentrations of NPM. The effect of concentration on the impact and the adhesive strengths of the unmodified and modified BisGMA networks were characterised.
The modification of BisGMA resin using NPM showed significant enhancement of the impact and the adhesive strengths over the unmodified one. The modification caused a chemical linkage between NPM and BisGMA resin, which led not only to a phase separation but also to establishing the intrinsically strong chemical bonds across the NPM phase/resin matrix interphase, which was responsible for the improvement of the impact and adhesive strength. The optimum results were obtained at 10/h (parts per 100 parts of BisGMA resin) of modifier.
The reactive diluent, used in the present context was synthesised from nonyl phenol, methacrylic acid and benzoyl chloride in methyl ethyl ketone using triethylamine as base.
The method of modification developed provides a simple and practical solution for improving the rheological and physico‐mechanical properties of BisGMA network.
The method developed is a novel one for enhancing the rheological and physico‐mechanical properties of BisGMA network diluted with NPM resin and may find numerous applications in surface coating and adhesive.
