A Martini 3 coarse-grain model for the simulation of the photopolymerizable organic phase in dental composites

Abstract

Light-hardening dental composites can be used in a large number of applications in restorative dentistry. They are based on photopolymerizable resins, which are highly relevant also in other industries like 3D printing. Much effort is therefore being put into developing and optimizing photopolymers. Currently used photopolymers still have limitations regarding mechanical properties, shrinkage and leaching of uncured monomers. These issues are strongly linked to the network structure of the polymer and are usually addressed using trial and error methods. Therefore, it is of interest to have a model for the network structure of such materials and to have a tool to facilitate scientific progress and the development of high-performance photopolymers. This work presents a coarse grain model of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA formulations and their corresponding networks, following the Martini 3 guidelines and using a simulated polymerization algorithm. The model proved to reproduce the densities and volumetric shrinkage values found in the literature well. Furthermore, it was possible to estimate the final double bond conversion of the polymer material. Martini's building block-like design makes it easy to extend the model to other monomers in the future.