Mechanical characterization of optical glass fiber coated with a thin film of silver nanoparticles by nanoindentation

•Optical fibers glasses were covered with Ag nanoparticles prepared by chemical reduction method.•Ag nanoparticles were adhered to the optimal impregnation at 1 min.•Hardness value was H=3.6±0.17 GPa and elastic modulus was E=78.3±2.6 GPa.•Optical glass fibers coated with Ag nanoparticles are proposed as alternative material within a system of root dental fillings for endodontic therapy.

Optical glass fibers coated with Ag nanoparticles are proposed as alternative material within a system of root dental fillings for endodontic therapy, due to their potential mechanical and antibacterial properties. A group of glass fibers filaments was covered with Ag nanoparticles prepared by the chemical reduction method and immersed in a solvent of tetrahydrofuran (CH2)4O (THF). Nanoparticles achieve average size of 30 nm of Ag nanoparticles diameters. At 1 min of impregnation in THF on the surface of glass fiber cores, Ag nanoparticles formed thin films with better distributions with respect to the other impregnation times. Nano-mechanical properties such as hardness and elastic modulus were evaluated on the surface of optical glass fiber coated with Ag nanoparticles by nanoindentation using the continued stiffness measurements method. Hardness value was H=3.6±0.17 GPa and elastic modulus was E=78.3±2.6 GPa.