Resilient polymeric materials such as silicone elastomers are currently used for maxillofacial prostheses construction but the strength of these materials and their clinical performance need to be optimized with the addition of reinforcing fillers. This study investigates the effect of zirconia nanopowder addition on tear strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, Shore A hardness, surface roughness and cytotoxicity of VST-50 maxillofacial silicone. Silicone base was mixed with different amounts (1%, 2% and 3%) of zirconia nanopowder using a vacuum mixer. Silicone without filler was used as control for comparison. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy were utilized to assess the efficiency of high-shear vacuum mixing as filler dispersion method and the surface topography, respectively. Both SEM and AFM images showed that the zirconia nanopowder were distributed fairly well within the polymer. Statistically, highly significant increase in tear strength, tensile strength and hardness with non-significant decrease in elongation at break and non-significant increase in surface roughness were seen with 1% and 2% groups. Whereas with 3% group, there was significant improvement in tear strength, tensile strength and hardness but there was significant undesirable decrease in elongation and increase in roughness. Cytotoxicity test revealed that the addition of zirconia nanopowder was nontoxic to Rat Embryonic Fibroblast (REF) cells and there was non-significant change in the cell viability of all study groups after 24- and 72-hours incubation periods. In conclusion, the addition of 2% by weight nano zirconia to VST-50 maxillofacial silicone could be beneficial in enhancing its performance.
The study area is part of the city of Samawa in Al Muthanna Governorate in southern Iraq. The study area is located to the west of Samawa city bounded by the north latitudes 31⁰11'-31o42' and east longitudes 44o58'- 45⁰16'and its groundwater resources are developed for supply and irrigation purposes. In order to evaluate the quality of groundwater in the study area, twenty three groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for physical and chemical parameters. Hydrochemical analysis showed that the groundwater of the study area is excessively mineralized and very hard. The increase in flow length of groundwater in the study area caused a change in water
... Show MoreFilms of pure Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) doped by potassium iodide (KI) salt with percentages (1%) at different thickness prepared by casting method at room temperature. In order to study the effect of increasing thickness on optical properties, transmission and absorption spectra have been record for five different thicknesses(80,140,210,250,320)µm. The study has been extended to include the changes in the band gap energies, refractive index, extinction coefficient and absorption coefficient with thickness.
This study aims to investigate the degree of practicing the motivated classroom evaluation environment for learning and its relationship to different feedback patterns. To achieve the objectives of the study, the correlational descriptive research design was employed. A questionnaire was constructed consisting of two parts: the classroom evaluation environment (13) items, and feedback patterns (24) items on a five-point scale. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire were verified in terms of validity and reliability. The questionnaire was applied to a sample of (265) male and female teachers who work in the second cycle schools for grades (5-10) of basic education in all academic majors in the Governorate of Muscat in the Sultan
... Show MoreThe child realize that the meals time provide golden opportunities to get the attention the child needs. However, many difficulties that may appear about eating food can be avoided, if the family used the right way in dealing with this problem. The study aims, in this case, at searching for the reasons that lies behind the child's obstinacy in eating his food and the attempt to study some variables that is related to the research topic.
The results are summed up as follows:
- The number of the sample children is 3 of both sexes between the ages of 3 to 6 years
The study of surface hardness, wear resistance, adhesion strength, electrochemical corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity of coatings composed from sodium silicate was prepared using graphite micro-size particles and carbon nano particles as fillers respectively of concentration of (1-5%), for the purpose of covering and protecting the oil distillation towers. The results showed that the sodium silicate coating reinforced with carbon nano-powder has higher resistance to stitches, mechanical wear, adhesive and thermal conductivity than graphite/sodium silicate composite especially when the ratio 5% and 1%, the electrochemical corrosion test confirmed that the coating process of stainless steel 304 lead to increasin
... Show MoreAdsorption studies were carried out to test the ability of the Iraqi rice bran (Amber type) to adsorb some metals divalent cations (Cd2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+) as an alternative tool to remove these pollutants from water. The Concentrations of these ions in water were measured using flame and flamless atomic absorption spectrophotometry techniques. The applicability of the adsorption isotherm on Langmuir or Freundlisch equation were tested and found to be dependent on the type of ions. The results showed different adsorptive behavior and different capacities of the adsorption of the ions on the surface of the bran. The correlation between the amounts adsorbed and different cation parameters including (electronegativity, io
... Show MoreThis study was carried out to determine the effects of some environmental variables on biodiversity index value of benthic invertebrates' community in samples that collected monthly from two adjacent sites nearby the confluence of Tigris and Diyala rivers within Baghdad city that’s from November 2007 - October 2008. Results showed differences in chemical and physical characteristics for each river. Where the annual averages of these characteristics in Rivers Tigris and Diyala respectively for: water temperature (20, 19) Cº, pH (8, 8), Dissolved oxygen DO(8,4 ) mg/l , EC(1152,2979)µc/cm , Turbidity (28,74) NTU, Total Hardness of CaCO3 (485,823)mg/l, and finally NO3 (4,6)mg/l. Concerning the biological groups, included types of Insect
... Show MoreRecords of two regionalized variables were processed for each of porosity and permeability of reservoir rocks in Zubair Formation (Zb-109) south Iraq as an indication of the most important reservoir property which is the homogeneity , considering their important results in criterion most needed for primary and enhanced oil reservoir .Z and F tests that were calculated for the two above mentioned properties of pair units of Zubair Formation have shown the difference in depositional energy and different diagenesis between units IL and AB , DJ and AB , and the similarity in grains size , sorting degree , depositional environment and pressure gradients between IL and AB units , LS and IL units ; also the difference in the properties above betw
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