Optimization of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticle Concentration in Green LED Light Active Dental Photopolymer
Katalin Bukovinszky,
Melinda Szalóki,
István Csarnovics,
Attila Bonyár,
Péter Petrik,
Benjámin Kalas,
Lajos Daróczi,
Sándor Kéki,
Sándor Kökényesi,
Csaba Hegedűs
Affiliations
Katalin Bukovinszky
Department of Biomaterials and Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Debrecen, H4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Melinda Szalóki
Department of Biomaterials and Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Debrecen, H4032 Debrecen, Hungary
István Csarnovics
Department of Experimental Physics, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, H4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Attila Bonyár
Department of Electronics Technology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, H1111 Budapest, Hungary
Péter Petrik
Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science (MFA), H1121 Budapest, Hungary
Benjámin Kalas
Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science (MFA), H1121 Budapest, Hungary
Lajos Daróczi
Department of Solid State Physics, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, H4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Sándor Kéki
Department of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, H4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Sándor Kökényesi
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, H4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Csaba Hegedűs
Department of Biomaterials and Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Debrecen, H4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) display surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as a result of their irradiation at a targeted light frequency. SPR also results in heat production that increases the temperature of the surrounding environment, affecting polymerization. The aim was to investigate the SPR effect of AuNPs on a dimethacrylate-based photopolymer system. The tested composites were designed to overlap the illumination required for the polymerization and the plasmon effect. The 5 nm-sized dodecanethiol capped AuNPs were applied in different concentrations in the matrix that were irradiated with green light (λ = 532 nm), where the Irgacure 784 photoinitiator also absorbs the light. The plasmonic effect was investigated for the refractive index change by surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) supplemented by ellipsometry. Moreover, optical transmission and transmission electron micrographs (TEM), diametral tensile stress (DTS), and confocal Raman spectroscopy was performed to determine the degree of conversion (DC) at 1.0, 1.4, and 2.0 mW/cm2 light intensities. It was found that the optimal conditions were at 0.0208 wt% AuNPs concentration and 1.4 mW/cm2 light intensity at which the refractive index change, DTS, and DC data were all maximal. The study confirmed that AuNPs are applicable to improve the polymerization efficiency of dental composite resin.