title: Evaluation of polymethyl methacrylate resin mechanical properties with incorporated halloysite nanotubes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study inspects the effect of incorporating halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin on its flexural strength, hardness, and Young's modulus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four groups of acrylic resin powder were prepared. One group without HNTs was used as a control group and the other three groups contained 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 wt% HNTs. For each one, flexural strength, Young's modulus and hardness values were measured. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's test were used for comparison (P<.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At lower concentration (0.3 wt%) of HNT, there was a significant increase of hardness values but no significant increase in both flexural strength and Young's modulus values of PMMA resin. In contrast, at higher concentration (0.6 and 0.9 wt%), there was a significant decrease in hardness values but no significant decrease in flexural strength and Young's modulus values compared to those of the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Addition of lower concentration of halloysite nanotubes to denture base materials could improve some of their mechanical properties. Improving the mechanical properties of acrylic resin base material could increase the patient satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Dental Biomaterials Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Reham M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7095-9255
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Abdallah
keywords: Flexural strength; Halloysites nanotubes; Hardness; PMMA resin; Young's modulus