Strengthening of conventional dental glass ionomer cement by addition of chitosan powders with low or high molecular weight

저/고분자량 키토산에 의한 종래형 치과용 글라스아이오노머 시멘트의 강화

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chitosan powder addition on the strengthening of conventional glass ionomer cement. Two types of chitosan powders with different molecular weight were mixed with conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC): low-molecular weight chitosan (CL; 50~190 kDa), high-molecular weight chitosan (CH; 310~375 kDa). The chitosan powders (CL and CH) were separately added into the GIC liquid (0.25-0.5 wt%) under magnetic stirring, or mixed with the GIC powder by ball-milling for 24 h using zirconia balls. The mixing ratio of prepared cement was 2:1 for powder to liquid. Net setting time of cements was measured by ISO 9917-1. The specimens for the compressive strength (CS; $4{\times}6mm$), diametral tensile strength (DTS; $6{\times}4mm$), three-point flexure (FS; $2{\times}2{\times}25mm$) with flexure modulus (FM) were obtained from cements at 1, 7, and 14 days after storing in distilled water at $(37{\pm}1)^{\circ}C$. All mechanical strength tests were conducted with a cross-head speed of 1 mm/min. Data were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD post-hoc test. The mechanical properties of conventional glass ionomer cement was significantly enhanced by addition of 0.5 wt% CL to cement liquid (CS, DTS), or by addition of 10 wt% CH (FS) to cement powder. The CL particles incorporated into the set cement were firmly bonded to the GIC matrix (SEM). Within the limitation of this study, the results indicated that chitosan powders can be successfully added to enhance the mechanical properties of conventional GIC.