Synthesis and Characterization of Acrylic-Based Photopolymer as a Candidate for Denture Base Material

Denture base is a denture part that rests on the soft tissue covering the jawbone and becomes an anchor of a denture. The material that commonly used for this purpose is poly (methyl methacrylate). However, it lacks in mechanical properties due to high water absorption. The aim of this research was to improve the physical and mechanical properties of poly (methyl methacrylate) by making a copolymer with styrene via photopolymerization process. In this method was used the addition of styrene monomer at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt% into the acrylic resin to form copolymer materials via photopolymerization process. The amount of 1.5 wt% Irgacure 784's photoinitiator was added as a photoinitiator. The results showed that the addition of 40% by weight of styrene copolymer is the best performance compare to the addition styrene of 10, 20, 30, and 50%. The samples with an addition styrene of 40 wt% showed excellent properties such as high water absorption value of 2.405 μg/mm³, the solubility of 0.434 μg/mm³, the flexural strength of 69.336 MPa, a flexural modulus of 1.236 GPa, and a hardness value of 82.583 HD. Poly (methyl methacrylate-co-styrene) copolymer with the addition of styrene 40 wt% has the closest value to the requirements for a denture base material.