Influence of bonding agent composition on flexural properties of an Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fiber-Reinforced Composite

This study evaluated the influence of seven commercially available bonding agents on the flexural properties of an Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Fiber-Reinforced Composite (FRC). Nine groups (n=10 per group) of flexural strength specimens were prepared from an indirect composite reinforced with UHMWPE fiber and cured according to manufacturers' instructions (Groups A to I). Group I was a fiber-reinforced negative control without any bonding agent resination. A tenth group (Group J) was a positive control group prepared using indirect composite alone. The fiber reinforcement material for Groups A to H was resinated with one of the seven different bonding agents. Group H used the same bonding agent as for Group G specimens. However, the fiber was silanized before bonding agent application for Group G specimens. Specimens were stored wet for 24 hours at 37 degrees C before measuring flexural strength and modulus in three-point bend at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/minute. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was employed to assess the fiber-resin interface of representative samples. The mean (SD) flexural strength of the test groups impregnated by the bonding agents ranged from 169 (37) to 266 (39) MPa. Statistical analysis of the flexural strength data using one-way ANOVA revealed significant (p<0.05) differences between the test groups. There was catastrophic fiber/composite failure in the positive control group that had a mean flexural strength of 75 (8) MPa. Silane pre-treatment of UHMWPE fiber before impregnation with the bonding agent significantly reduced the flexural strength (p<0.05).