Journal of Advanced Materials in Engineering (Esteghlal)

The aim of the present study is to study the effects of adding  diopside (CaMgSi₂O₆) as well as silica sulfuric acid nanoparticles to ceramic part of glass ionomer cement (GIC) in order to improve its mechanical properties. To do this, firstly, diopside (DIO) nanoparticles with chemical formula of CaMgSi₂O₆ were synthesized using sol-gel process and then, the structural and morphological properties of synthesized diopside nanoparticles were investigated. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle size analyzing (PSA) confirmed that synthesized diopside are nanoparticles and agglomerated. Besides, the result of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses approved the purity of diopside nanoparticles compounds. Silica sulfuric acid (SSA) nanoparticles are also prepared by chemical modification of silica nanoparticles by means of chlorosulfonic acid. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) technique was used to find about the presence of the (SO₃H) groups on the surface of silica sulfuric acid nanoparticles. Furthermore, various amounts (0.1, 3 and 5 wt.%) of diopside and silica sulfuric acid nanoparticles were added to the ceramic part of GIC (Fuji II GIC commercial type) to produce glass ionomer cement nanocomposites. The mechanical properties of the produced nanocomposites were measured using the compressive strength, three-point flexural strength and diametral tensile strength methods. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique confirmed the presence of the (SO₃H) groups on the surface of silica nanoparticles. The compressive strength, three-point flexural strength and diametral tensile strength were 42.5, 15.4 and 6 MPa, respectively, without addition. Although adding 1% silica solfonic acid improved nanocomposite mchanical properties by almost 122%, but maximum increase in nanocomposite mechanical properties was observed in the nanocomposites with 3% diposid, in which 160% increase was seen in the mechanical properties.