Time-dependent nanoindentation behavior of high elastic modulus dental resin composites

s Nanoindentation and the viscous-elastic-plastic (VEP) model developed by Oyen and Cook for lightly filled thermoplastic polymer composites were used to characterize the elastic modulus, hardness, and viscoelastic response of a new high elastic modulus dental resin composite. The VEP model was used because loading rate studies indicated a viscous component in the loading/unloading response of our highly filled, thermosetting acrylic resin composites. Increasing the volume fraction of our high modulus filler increased the elastic modulus and hardness and decreased the viscous response in our composites. Coupling the filler and resin matrix with a commercial coupling agent like Metaltite or MPTMS (3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane) that ionically bonds to the filler and covalently bonds to the matrix decreases the viscous response and increases the hardness of the composite. The coupling agents did not affect the elastic modulus. The ability of the VEP model to predict load-displacement trajectories and the correlation of the elastic modulus and hardness values determined from the VEP model with those from the direct continuous stiffness measurement mode nanoindentation measurements indicate that the VEP model can be extended to highly filled, thermosetting systems. This is valuable since the potential to predict elastic, plastic, and viscous contributions to behavior should be valuable in the design and understanding of future highly filled resin composite systems.