Abstract Background: The daily usage of maxillofacial prostheses causes them to mechanically deteriorate with time. This study was aimed to evaluate the reinforcement of VST50F maxillofacial silicone by using yttrium oxide (Y2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) to resist aging and mechanical deterioration. Materials and Method: Y2O3 NPs (30–45nm) were loaded into VST50F maxillofacial silicone in two weight percentages (1 and 1.5 wt%), which were predetermined in a pilot study as the best rates for improving tear strength with minimum increase in hardness values. A total of 120 specimens were prepared and divided into the control and experimental groups (with 1 and 1.5 wt% Y2O3 addition). Each group included 40 specimens, 10 specimens for each parameter tested (i.e., tear strength, surface roughness, hardness, tensile strength and elongation percentage). Specimens were artificially aged in a weathering chamber for 150 h and then tested. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD). Statistical significance was set to P ≤ 0.05. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were also conducted. Results and Discussion: SEM results showed that Y2O3 NPs were distributed well within the silicon matrix. FTIR results indicated that the NPs were physically dispersed within VST50F silicone without chemical interaction. After 150 h of accelerated artificial aging, adding Y2O3 NPs significantly increased the tear strength, hardness, surface roughness, and elongation percentage. Tensile strength increased non significantly. Conclusion: Adding Y2O3 NPs as fillers improved the mechanical properties of artificially aged maxillofacial silicone elastomer. Keywords: maxillofacial silicone, Y2O3, nanoparticles, fillers, artificial aging.
Artificial intelligence (AI) aims to develop systems that achieve a level of intelligence similar to or surpassing human intelligence. AI applications are designed to mimic human cognitive behaviors, with the goal of embedding human knowledge into computers through what is known as knowledge bases. Computers can then use software tools to search these bases, perform comparisons, and conduct analyses to derive and infer the best solutions to various problems. This process resembles how humans solve new problems in their daily lives by relying on past experiences, predicting potential outcomes, and using reasoning skills to evaluate the best available solutions. This study investigates the current use of AI applications in education b
... Show MoreThe structure, optical, and electrical properties of SnSe and its application as photovoltaic device has been reported widely. The reasons for interest in SnSe due to the magnificent optoelectronic properties with other encouraging properties. The most applications that in this area are PV devices and batteries. In this study tin selenide structure, optical properties and surface morphology were investigated and studies. Thin-film of SnSe were deposit on p-Si substrates to establish a junction as solar cells. Different annealing temperatures (as prepared, 125,200, 275) °C effects on SnSe thin films were investigated. The structure properties of SnSe was studied through X-ray diffraction, and the results appears the increasing of the peaks
... Show MoreGamma - irradiation effect on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) samples has been studied using Positron Annihilation Lifetime (PAL) method. The orthopositronium (o-Ps) lifetime τ3, hence the o-ps parameters, the volume hole size (Vh) and the free volume fraction (Ꞙh) in the irradiated samples were measured as a function of gamma-irradiation dose up to 28.05 kGy. It has been shown that τ 3, Vh, and Ꞙh, are increasing in general with increasing gamma-dose, to reach a maximum percentage increment of 22.42% in τ3, 60% in Vh and 29.5% in Ꞙh, at. 2.55 kGy, whereas τ2 reaches maximum increment of 119. 7% at 7.65 kGy. The results s
... Show MoreThe aim of the research is to identify the educational and psychological effects of the positive and negative aspects of using social networking websites. The researcher administered a number of questions to (250) users of different types of social networking websites. He analyzed his research results and obtained a number of results. The research has reached a number of recommendations and suggestion: Regulating the use of social media. Monitoring the parents of the sites used by children in a way that they do not feel they are observers. It is necessary to devote an hour daily to show the importance of real social life for children other than using social media. It is necessary to show the importance of choosing friends who hav
... Show MoreThis study investigates the surgical and thermal effects on oral soft tissues produced by CO2 laser emitting at 10.6 micrometers with three different fluences 490.79, 1226.99 and 1840.4 J/cm2. These effects are specifically; incision depth, incision width and the tissue damage width and depth. The results showed that increasing the fluence and /or the number of beam passes increase the average depths of ablation. Moreover, increasing the fluence and the number of beam passes increase the adjacent tissue damage in width and depth. Surgeons using CO2 laser should avoid multiple pulses of the laser beam over the same area, to avoid unintentional tissue damage.