Synergistic effects of different fillers are widely utilized in polymer technology. The combination of various types of fillers is used to improve various properties of polymer composites. In this paper, a synergistic effect of flame retardants was tested to improve the performance of ceramizable composites. The composites were based of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) used as polymer matrix. Three different types of flame retardants were tested for synergistic effect: Mica (phlogopite) high aspect-ratio platelets, along with low softening point temperature glass frit (featuring ceramization effect), and melamine cyanurate, a commonly used flame retardant promoting carbonaceous char. In order to characterize the properties of the composites, combustibility, thermal stability, viscoelastic properties, micromorphology, and mechanical properties were tested before and after ceramization. The results obtained show that the synergistic effect of ceramization promoting fillers and melamine cyanurate was especially visible with respect to the flame retardant properties resulting in a significant improvement of fire resistance of the composites.

An injectable hydrogel formulation is developed utilizing low‐ and high‐molecular‐weight chitosan (LCH and HCH) incorporated with curcumin and α‐tocopherol‐loaded liposomes (Lip/Cur+Toc). Cur and Toc releases are delayed within the hydrogels. The injectability of hydrogels is proved via rheological analyses. In vitro studies are conducted using human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) to examine the biological performance of the hydrogels toward endodontics and periodontics, respectively. The viability of hDPSCs treated with the hydrogels with Lip/Cur+Toc is the highest till day 14, compared to the neat hydrogels. During odontogenic differentiation tests, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity of hDPSCs is induced in the Cur‐containing groups. Biomineralization is enhanced mostly with Lip/Cur+Toc incorporation. The viability of hGFs is the highest in HCH combined with Lip/Cur+Toc while wound healing occurs almost 100% in both (Lip/Cur+Toc@LCH and Lip/Cur+Toc@HCH) after 2 days. Antioxidant activity of Lip/Cur+Toc@LCH on hGFs is significantly the highest among the groups. Antimicrobial tests demonstrate that Lip/Cur+Toc@LCH is more effective against Escherichia coli whereas so is Lip/Cur+Toc@HCH against Staphylococcus aureus. The antimicrobial mechanism of the hydrogels is investigated for the first time through various computational models. LCH and HCH loaded with Lip/Cur+Toc are promising candidates with multi‐functional features for endodontics and periodontics.

The role of Aerosil silicas, A90, R812, R812s on the complex dynamic viscosity η^* of methyl-vinyl polysiloxane MVQ at processing temperature 80°C was analyzed based on experiments with a torsional rheometer Rubber Process Analyzer RPA. The influence of surface area and surface activity on the Payne’s effect was determined by oscillating rheometer Ares G2. The decrease in complex modulus G^* by increasing strain for silicas R812, R812s was mostly due to the breaking down of filler-filler networking, the modification of surface led to better processability resulting in the increase of tensile strength TS, from 0.42 MPa unfilled silicone to 9.31 MPa MVQ containing R812. Higher surface activity of silica A90 caused a decrease in filler networking due to a better filler-polymer interactions, which resulted in the increase of the percentage of non-covalent crosslinks determined for samples treated with ammonia. The decrease of static water contact angle θ of silicone rubber after incorporation of A90 was observed. Influence of allylisobutylPOSS on curing, crosslink density, static and dynamic behavior of silicone rubber was considered.