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Mechanical Enhancement of PMMA/SiO2: Quantitative Dispersion Analysis and Prediction
Cheng-En Jiang a, Guan-Yu Chen a and Shih-Chen Shi b
aStudent, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 70101 Tainan, Taiwan
bProfessor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 70101 Tainan, Taiwan
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Abstract:
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cements suffer from insufficient mechanical strength, often leading to aseptic loosening and implant failure. To address this, PMMA/SiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized via the in-situ sol-gel method, incorporating a quantitative dispersion index (D0.2) to rigorously evaluate particle distribution. Real-microstructure Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was employed to simulate stress evolution and test the hypothesis that well-dispersed silica acts as a physical barrier to impede crack propagation. The results indicate that while agglomerates act as stress concentrators, triggering defect-controlled failure, uniform dispersion enhances stress transfer and facilitates crack deflection. The simulation framework, validated by experimental data, accurately projects theoretical mechanical limits at 100% dispersion. These findings establish a robust predictive model for optimizing the microstructural design of high-performance biomedical composites.
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Keywords: Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), silica nanocomposites, finite element analysis, particle dispersion, mechanical properties
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©
2026
CSME , ISSN 0257-9731
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