Thermal, Water Absorptivity, Biocompatibility, and Drilling Characterization of Nano Bio-Silica and Bamboo Fiber-Reinforced Chitosan Bio-Composite Material

This article delves deeply into the examination of composite materials designed for dental implant applications, specifically focusing on chitosan-reinforced bamboo and nano-biosilica-reinforced variants. The study systematically evaluates the thermal, surface, and biocompatible characteristics of various composites, including plain chitosan (CP), bamboo mat-reinforced chitosan (CF), and combinations of bamboo mat with different volumes (1%, 2%, and 3%) of nano-biosilica-reinforced composites (C1, C2, and C3). Chemical composition is scrutinized through scanning electron microscopy and FTIR, while thermal behavior is explored via thermal conductivity and thermogravimetric analysis. Porosity and hydrophilicity are investigated through water absorption and wettability tests. Biocompatibility is evaluated using MTT assays and anti-biofilm assays. Results highlight the outstanding thermal conductivity of the C2 composite material and C1 exhibits close tolerance to drilled holes and maximum hardness, while C3 demonstrates the minimum contact angle with water. CP, CF, and C3 show no cytotoxicity, but C3 and CF display limited resistance to biofilm formation against S. aureus grampositive bacteria.