AgVO3 nanorods silanized with γ-MPS: An alternative for effective dispersion of AgVO3 in dental acrylic resins improving the mechanical properties

Highlights: • A thin film constituted of silanol and acrylic groups was produced embedding the AgVO₃ nanorods. • Acrylic groups on AgVO₃ increased the dispersion and interaction with methyl methacrylate. • Silanization using MPS improved the dispersion and interfacial adhesion of AgVO₃ nanorods in PMMA. • Shore D hardness and Izod impact strength values were improved due to the silanization process. The heterogeneity and weak chemical interactions between unmodified AgVO₃ and acrylic resins can impair this biomateriaĺs mechanical properties, limiting its clinical application. The incorporation of AgVO₃ nanorods silanized with the organosilane γ–methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ–MPS) to acrylic resin was evaluated to avoid these undesirable effects. The silanized samples were analyzed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy with field emission gun (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dispersibility test in MMA. The nanorods modified using MPS were inserted in the PMMA matrix and characterized concerning the Shore-D hardness and Izod impact tests. FE-SEM and X-ray microtomography were used to analyze the dispersion and interaction of the nanorods in the matrix. The experimental results showed that acrylic groups were inserted on AgVO₃ surfaces after the silanization (AgVO₃-M), resulting in a significative dispersion and interaction with MMA. Nanocomposites produced with AgVO₃-M showed improved dispersion and interaction with PMMA, resulting in higher Shore-D hardness and impact strength values than the material incorporated with pristine AgVO₃. In conclusion, the incorporation of AgVO₃ nanorods silanized with γ–MPS to PMMA produced acrylic-based nanocomposites with superior mechanical properties.