A new star-hyperbranched poly(acrylic acid) has been synthesized and incorporated into dental glassionomer cement for enhanced mechanical strengths. The effects of arm number and branching on viscosity of the polymer aqueous solution and mechanical strengths of the formed experimental cement were evaluated. It was found that the higher the arm number and the more the branching, the lower the viscosity of the polymer solution as well as the mechanical strengths of the formed cement. It was also found that the experimental cement exhibited significantly higher mechanical strengths than commercial Fuji II LC. The experimental cement was 51% in CS, 55% in compressive modulus, 118% in DTS, 82% in FS, 18% in FT and 85% in KHN higher than Fuji II LC. The experimental cement was only 6.7% of abrasive and 10% of attritional wear depths of Fuji II LC in each wear cycle. It appears that this novel experimental cement is a clinically attractive dental restorative and may potentially be used for high-wear and high-stress-bearing site restorations.
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