PMMA-based composite materials with reactive ceramic fillers - Part III: Radiopacifying particle-reinforced bone cements

New acrylic bone cements were prepared from alumina particles previously tr eated by 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate (gamma-MPS), able to act bot h as radiopacifying and reinforcing agents. The present study deals with th e handling characteristics and the compressive behavior of such cements. Th e influence of the particles morphology, their surface-modification by gamm a-MPS bonding agent, their concentration in the cement, the powder-to-liqui d ratio and the benzoyl peroxide concentration are reported. The role of gr afted gamma-MPS molecules as coupling agent was confirmed. For several form ulations, compressive strength and modulus reached 150 MPa and 3400 MPa res pectively. Limitations in the use of such formulations are also comprehensi vely discussed. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.