Effect of Cellulose Fiber from Coconut Coir as Filler For Dental Flowable Composite

The composite restorations in posterior teeth have recently received an increasing interest due to the improvement of their physical and mechanical properties. However, compositing by the most common polymerization procedure tends to deform the tooth structure that may cause some damage in the marginal seal due to the imperfect interfacial attachment. Several techniques have been used to overcome this problem, one of them is using a flowable composites on the bottom of the cavity as the first layer. The purpose of this study is to develop fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) material made of coir fiber (Cocos nucifera) with matrix (Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, DGEBA, and camphorquinone). Cellulose fiber was formed by an antisolvent method from an aqueous NaOH-urea cellulose solution dropped into ethanol-water mixture. The resulting cellulose fibers were then mixed with the matrix using a magnetic stirrer. The composition of nanocellulose in the matrix was varied 10:90 and their characteristics were compared with the commercial nanofiller composite (Z 350 and 3M) as control. The sample was tested for cross-linked using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The morphology of nanocellulose look like a fiber as cross-linked with matrix. Therefore, the formation of a crosslink bond between cellulose and matrix C-O-C with a new wavenumber in 890 cm^-1. The nanocellulose composite also form fibers that binds the matrix, while flowable composites from manufacturers from fibers and particulates. From this experimental method it can be suggested coconut fiber has high potential as raw material to be filler in a dental flowable composite.