Increasing the environmental impact and biocompatibility of poly(bis-GMA) dental resin using crosslinking with amended cellulose

Abstract This study investigates the synthesis and characterization of crosslinked poly(Bis-GMA) with cellulose using a chemical modification approach. The preparation involves three key steps: polymerization of bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate (Bis-GMA), chlorination of poly(Bis-GMA), and crosslinking with cellulose. The resulting materials were characterized using CHN analysis, FT-IR, TGA-DTA, and mechanical testing. CHN analysis revealed changes in elemental composition due to chlorination and cellulose incorporation. At the same time, FT-IR confirmed successful chemical modifications, with the formation of new functional groups such as N-H and C-O bonds. TGA-DTA analysis indicated a decrease in thermal stability after crosslinking, with crosslinked poly(Bis-GMA) with cellulose decomposing at a lower temperature than Bis-GMA. Mechanical testing showed enhanced properties in the crosslinked material, with improved flexural strength, flexural modulus, diametral tensile strength, and compressive strength, likely due to the reinforcing effect of cellulose. Water adsorption studies highlighted the hydrophilic nature of cellulose, leading to increased water uptake in the crosslinked material. These findings suggest that cellulose-crosslinked poly(bis-GMA) offers improved mechanical properties and could be a promising material for applications in dental composites, biomedical coatings, and other polymer-based systems, though further modifications may be necessary to address water stability issues.