3D printed biocompatible polylactide-hydroxyapatite based material for bone implants

ABSTRACT

In many medical applications, there is a strong demand for biocompatible bone implants with complex shape. This demand can be satisfied by considering the opportunity of using additive manufacturing for printing bone implants from material based on polylactide and hydroxyapatite (HAP). Such composites with HAP mass ratio of 5–10% are known to possess very promising characteristics. In present work, the composite mixtures with HAP mass ration varying from 5% to 30% are successfully produced for the first time, and the parameters of filament extrusion and implant printing are determined for each obtained compound. The experimental investigation of the mechanical properties of the printed samples shows their high quality with strength values being on the level of the human sponge bones. At last, the considered material demonstrates a good wettability by body liquids and, thus, is potentially suitable for utilization in bone implants.

KEYWORDS:

• 3D
• biomaterials
• ceramics
• composites
• extrusion
• fatigue
• forming
• polymers
• strength
• thermoplastics

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Professor V. I. Vereshchagin (Tomsk Polytechnic University, Department of Silicate and Nanomaterial Technology, Tomsk) and A. E. Lukyanov (Tomsk Polytechnic University, Department of Technology of Organic Substances and Polymer Materials, Tomsk) for assistance in conducting some experiments and discussing the obtained results, and Professor I. Sh. Akhatov (Director of the Skoltech Center for Design, Manufacturing and Materials, Moscow) for the support with the composite studies. This work was supported by the Tomsk Polytechnic University Competitiveness Enhancement Program under Grant TPU CEP_IHTP_73\2017.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Tomsk Polytechnic University Competitiveness Enhancement Program grant [TPU CEP_IHTP_73\2017.];