Assessing impact of titanium dioxide nanotube incorporation on the glass transition temperature and thermal stability of 3D printed complete denture base resin

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: ) nanotubes (NTs) into 3D printed denture base resins improves their properties is unknown. PURPOSE: NTs into 3D printed denture base resin on the glass transition temperature (Tg), thermal stability, and a thermomechanical property (elastic modulus [EM]) as a function of temperature change. MATERIAL AND METHODS: NTs (Ø30 to 85 nm×1 to 3 µm) were added to the denture base resin at 0.0 wt% (control), 1.0 wt%, and 2.0 wt%. The Tgs were analyzed using 3 different methods: differential scanning colorimetry (DSC), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and thermomechanical analysis (TMA). Thermal stability was analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and its derivative (DTG). EMs were evaluated using a TMA device. A total of 96 specimens were used during the experiments, including 30 specimens for each test (thermal stability, Tg, and EM), in each subgroup (n=10) and 6 specimens for microscope and composition analyses (n=2). The effective sample size was calculated using G*power 3.1.9.7, and the collected data were analyzed using ANOVA for Tg and repeated-measures ANOVA for thermal stability and EM followed by the Tukey post hoc test (α=.05). RESULTS: NTs concentration improved the thermal stability (TGA and DTG) (P