Effect of Filler Type, Content, and Silanization on the Flexural Strength, Elastic Modulus, Shore D Hardness, and...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of filler type, filler content, and filler silanization on the flexural strength (FX), elastic modulus (E_m), shore D hardness (SDH), and two-body wear (2BW) of polyaryletherketone (PAEK) compounds. Specimens (40 wt% PEEK, 40 wt% PEK) with different filler types: 20 wt%: fumed silica (FS), calcium silicate (CS), feldspar (FP), magnesium silicate hydrate (MSH), no filler (NF); different filler content: 20, 25 or 30 wt% CS; different filler silanization: 20 wt% CS silanized with alkylsilane/aminosilane, FP silanized with methylsilane/ vinylsilane, no silanization; and PEEK₂₀ (BioHPP) or PEEK₂₅ (BioHPP plus) controls were fabricated and tested for FX, E_m, and SDH. Two-body wear (4 × 100,000 cycles, 50 N, 2.5 Hz) with composite resin antagonists was measured with PAEK_i (35 wt% PEEK, 35 wt% PEK, 30 wt% CS), PAEK_ii (70 wt% PEEK, 30 wt% CS), PAEK_iii (70 wt% PEEK, 25 wt% CS, 5 wt% FP), and PEEK₂₀ controls. Data were analyzed with Kolmogorov-Smirnov-, Kruskal-Wallis-H-, post hoc Scheffé test, pairwise comparisons, Bonferroni correction, one-way ANOVA, and Spearman rho (α = 0.05). An abrasion area analysis was performed. Adding filler increased FX, E_m, and SDH, with CS and MSH showing the highest values for FX and E_m. Adding 30 wt% CS increased FX, E_m, and SDH compared with 20 wt%. Silanization with methylsilane increased FX, E_m, and SDH. Silanization with aminosilane increased FX and SDH. PEEK₂₀ showed the lowest 2BW compared with all EPCs. No material losses were detected on the antagonists. PAEK compounds with 25 to 30 wt% CS increased FX and E_m compared to lower contents, no filler, or PEEK₂₀. Higher values of FX and E_m did not lead to lower 2BW.