scholarly journals Comparing Properties of Variable Pore-Sized 3D-Printed PLA Membrane with Conventional PLA Membrane for Guided Bone/Tissue Regeneration

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Yang Zhang ◽  
Heng Bo Jiang ◽  
Jeong-Hyun Ryu ◽  
Hyojin Kang ◽  
Kwang-Mahn Kim ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to fabricate bioresorbable polylactide (PLA) membranes by 3D printing and compare their properties to those of the membranes fabricated by the conventional method and compare the effect of different pore sizes on the properties of the 3D-printed membranes. PLA membranes with three different pore sizes (large pore-479 μm, small pore-273 μm, and no pore) were 3D printed, and membranes fabricated using the conventional solvent casting method were used as the control group. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) were taken to observe the morphology and obtain the porosity of the four groups. A tensile test was performed to compare the tensile strength, elastic modulus, and elongation at break of the membranes. Preosteoblast cells were cultured on the membranes for 1, 3 and 7 days, followed by a WST assay and SEM, to examine the cell proliferation on different groups. As a result, the 3D-printed membranes showed superior mechanical properties to those of the solvent cast membranes, and the 3D-printed membranes exhibited different advantageous mechanical properties depending on the different pore sizes. The various fabrication methods and pore sizes did not have significantly different effects on cell growth. It is proven that 3D printing is a promising method for the fabrication of customized barrier membranes used in GBR/GTR.

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 4132
Author(s):  
Catalin Gheorghe Amza ◽  
Aurelian Zapciu ◽  
Florin Baciu ◽  
Mihai Ion Vasile ◽  
Adrian Ionut Nicoara

In outdoor environments, the action of the Sun through its ultraviolet radiation has a degrading effect on most materials, with polymers being among those affected. In the past few years, 3D printing has seen an increased usage in fabricating parts for functional applications, including parts destined for outdoor use. This paper analyzes the effect of accelerated aging through prolonged exposure to UV-B on the mechanical properties of parts 3D printed from the commonly used polymers polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene terephthalate–glycol (PETG). Samples 3D printed from these materials went through a dry 24 h UV-B exposure aging treatment and were then tested against a control group for changes in mechanical properties. Both the tensile and compressive strengths were determined, as well as changes in material creep characteristics. After irradiation, PLA and PETG parts saw significant decreases in both tensile strength (PLA: −5.3%; PETG: −36%) and compression strength (PLA: −6.3%; PETG: −38.3%). Part stiffness did not change significantly following the UV-B exposure and creep behavior was closely connected to the decrease in mechanical properties. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) fractographic analysis was carried out to better understand the failure mechanism and material structural changes in tensile loaded, accelerated aged parts.


Author(s):  
Matthew B. Ng ◽  
Sean N. Brennan

This paper investigates the thermal and radiation performance of 3D-printed ULTEM materials following ASTM standard D638. ULTEM is a thermoplastic in the polyetherimide (PEI) family that is regularly used as a high-grade material for 3D printing. This material has similar properties to polyether ether ketone (PEEK), which is another thermoplastic that has strong mechanical properties at elevated temperature conditions. While PEEK has stronger mechanical properties, ULTEM is significantly more cost efficient to acquire and process via 3D printing. Also, most 3D printers are unable to utilize PEEK because of the significantly higher temperature requirements this material imposes on a 3D printer. This work is motivated by the need to rapidly deploy robotic inspection systems within a nuclear canister environment, which exposes the material to temperatures up to 170°C (340°F), and radiation levels of 270 Gy/hr (27 krad/hr), which are significantly beyond that of conventional 3D-printed parts. The design analysis was performed via an experiment consisting of three treatment groups of dogbone ULTEM test pieces. After tensile testing all of the pieces, the material properties were compared to those of the control group. These results allow manufacturers to select a more cost-effective material to build parts to operate in such a harsh high-temperature, high-radiation environment, which could include applications in both space systems and nuclear inspection robotics. Specifically, the results were used to guide the development of a robust robotic inspection system for the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) by replacing complex parts with easily-fabricated 3D-printed ULTEM pieces.


Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1804
Author(s):  
Agnese Piovesan ◽  
Valérie Vancauwenberghe ◽  
Wondwosen Aregawi ◽  
Mulugeta A. Delele ◽  
Evi Bongaers ◽  
...  

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing can be applied in the food sector to create food products with personalized properties such as shape, texture, and composition. In this article, we introduce a computer aided engineering (CAE) methodology to design 3D printed food products with tunable mechanical properties. The focus was on the Young modulus as a proxy of texture. Finite element modelling was used to establish the relationship between the Young modulus of 3D printed cookies with a honeycomb structure and their structure parameters. Wall thickness, cell size, and overall porosity were found to influence the Young modulus of the cookies and were, therefore, identified as tunable design parameters. Next, in experimental tests, it was observed that geometry deformations arose during and after 3D printing, affecting cookie structure and texture. The 3D printed cookie porosity was found to be lower than the designed one, strongly influencing the Young modulus. After identifying the changes in porosity through X-ray micro-computed tomography, a good match was observed between computational and experimental Young’s modulus values. These results showed that changes in the geometry have to be quantified and considered to obtain a reliable prediction of the Young modulus of the 3D printed cookies.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 562
Author(s):  
Catalin Gheorghe Amza ◽  
Aurelian Zapciu ◽  
George Constantin ◽  
Florin Baciu ◽  
Mihai Ion Vasile

Parts made from thermoplastic polymers fabricated through 3D printing have reduced mechanical properties compared to those fabricated through injection molding. This paper analyzes a post-processing heat treatment aimed at enhancing mechanical properties of 3D printed parts, in order to reduce the difference mentioned above and thus increase their applicability in functional applications. Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG) polymer is used to 3D print test parts with 100% infill. After printing, samples are packed in sodium chloride powder and then heat treated at a temperature of 220 °C for 5 to 15 min. During heat treatment, the powder acts as support, preventing deformation of the parts. Results of destructive testing experiments show a significant increase in tensile and compressive strength following heat treatment. Treated parts 3D printed in vertical orientation, usually the weakest, display 143% higher tensile strength compared to a control group, surpassing the tensile strength of untreated parts printed in horizontal orientation—usually the strongest. Furthermore, compressive strength increases by 50% following heat treatment compared to control group. SEM analysis reveals improved internal structure after heat treatment. These results show that the investigated heat treatment increases mechanical characteristics of 3D printed PETG parts, without the downside of severe part deformation, thus reducing the performance gap between 3D printing and injection molding when using common polymers.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1394
Author(s):  
Yong Sang Cho ◽  
So-Jung Gwak ◽  
Young-Sam Cho

In this study, we investigated the dual-pore kagome-structure design of a 3D-printed scaffold with enhanced in vitro cell response and compared the mechanical properties with 3D-printed scaffolds with conventional or offset patterns. The compressive modulus of the 3D-printed scaffold with the proposed design was found to resemble that of the 3D-printed scaffold with a conventional pattern at similar pore sizes despite higher porosity. Furthermore, the compressive modulus of the proposed scaffold surpassed that of the 3D-printed scaffold with conventional and offset patterns at similar porosities owing to the structural characteristics of the kagome structure. Regarding the in vitro cell response, cell adhesion, cell growth, and ALP concentration of the proposed scaffold for 14 days was superior to those of the control group scaffolds. Consequently, we found that the mechanical properties and in vitro cell response of the 3D-printed scaffold could be improved by kagome and dual-pore structures through DfAM. Moreover, we revealed that the dual-pore structure is effective for the in vitro cell response compared to the structures possessing conventional and offset patterns.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 822
Author(s):  
Jy-Jiunn Tzeng ◽  
Tzu-Sen Yang ◽  
Wei-Fang Lee ◽  
Hsuan Chen ◽  
Hung-Ming Chang

In this study, five urethane acrylates (UAs), namely aliphatic urethane hexa-acrylate (87A), aromatic urethane hexa-acrylate (88A), aliphatic UA (588), aliphatic urethane triacrylate diluted in 15% HDD (594), and high-functional aliphatic UA (5812), were selected to formulate five UA-based photopolymer resins for digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D printing. Each UA (40 wt%) was added and blended homogenously with ethoxylated pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (40 wt%), isobornyl acrylate (12 wt%), diphenyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphine oxide (3 wt%), and a pink acrylic (5 wt%). Each UA-based resin specimen was designed using CAD software and fabricated using a DLP 3D printer to specific dimensions. Characteristics, mechanical properties, and cytotoxicity levels of these designed UA-based resins were investigated and compared with a commercial 3D printing denture base acrylic resin (BB base) control group at different UV exposure times. Shore hardness-measurement data and MTT assays were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni’s post hoc test, whereas viscosity, maximum strength, and modulus were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test (α = 0.05). UA-based photopolymer resins with tunable mechanical properties were successfully prepared by replacing the UA materials and the UV exposure times. After 15 min of UV exposure, the 5812 and 594 groups exhibited higher viscosities, whereas the 88A and 87A groups exhibited lower viscosities compared with the BB base group. Maximum flexural strength, flexural modulus, and Shore hardness values also revealed significant differences among materials (p < 0.001). Based on MTT assay results, the UA-based photopolymer resins were nontoxic. In the present study, mechanical properties of the designed photopolymer resins could be adjusted by changing the UA or UV exposure time, suggesting that aliphatic urethane acrylate has good potential for use in the design of printable resins for DLP-type 3D printing in dental applications.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Jin Xi Lim ◽  
Min He ◽  
Alphonsus Khin Sze Chong

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of bone graft materials are commercially available and vary in their composition, mechanism of action, costs, and indications. OBJECTIVE: A commercially available PLGA scaffold produced using 3D printing technology has been used to promote the preservation of the alveolar socket after tooth extraction. We examined its influence on bone regeneration in long bones of New Zealand White rabbits. METHODS: 5.0-mm-diameter circular defects were created on the tibia bones of eight rabbits. Two groups were studied: (1) control group, in which the bone defects were left empty; (2) scaffold group, in which the PLGA scaffolds were implanted into the bone defect. Radiography was performed every two weeks postoperatively. After sacrifice, bone specimens were isolated and examined by micro-computed tomography and histology. RESULTS: Scaffolds were not degraded by eight weeks after surgery. Micro-computed tomography and histology showed that in the region of bone defects that was occupied by scaffolds, bone regeneration was compromised and the total bone volume/total volume ratio (BV/TV) was significantly lower. CONCLUSION: The implantation of this scaffold impedes bone regeneration in a non-critical bone defect. Implantation of bone scaffolds, if unnecessary, lead to a slower rate of fracture healing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 777 ◽  
pp. 499-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ossi Martikka ◽  
Timo Kärki ◽  
Qing Ling Wu

3D printing has rapidly become popular in both industry and private use. Especially fused deposition modeling has increased its popularity due to its relatively low cost. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge in the mechanical properties of parts made of wood-plastic composite materials by using 3D printing. The tensile properties and impact strength of two 3D-printed commercial wood-plastic composite materials are studied and compared to those made of pure polylactic acid. Relative to weight –mechanical properties and the effect of the amount of fill on the properties are also determined. The results indicate that parts made of wood-plastic composites have notably lower tensile strength and impact strength that those made of pure polylactic acid. The mechanical properties can be considered sufficient for low-stress applications, such as visualization of prototypes and models or decorative items.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1337-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzio Grasso ◽  
Lyes Azzouz ◽  
Paula Ruiz-Hincapie ◽  
Mauro Zarrelli ◽  
Guogang Ren

Purpose Recent advancements of 3D printing technology have brought forward the interest for this technique in many engineering fields. This study aims to focus on mechanical properties of the polylactic acid (PLA) feeding material under different thermal conditions for a typical fusion deposition of 3D printer system. Design/methodology/approach Specimens were tested under static loading within the range 20ºC to 60ºC considering different infill orientations. The combined effect of temperature and filament orientation is investigated in terms of constitutive material parameters and final failure mechanisms. The difference between feeding system before and post-3D printing was also assessed by mechanical test on feeding filament to verify the thermal profile during the deposition phase. Findings The results in terms of Young’s modulus, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), strain at failure (εf) and stress at failure (σf) are presented and discussed to study the influence of process settings over the final deposited material. Fracture surfaces have been investigated using an optical microscope to link the phenomenological interpretation of the failure with the micro-mechanical behaviour. Experimental results show a strong correlation between stiffness and strength with the infill orientation and the temperature values. Moreover, a relevant effect is related to deformed geometry of the filament approaching glass transition region of the polymer according to the deposition orientation. Research limitations/implications The developed method can be applied to optimise the stiffness and strength of any 3D-printed composite according to the infill orientation. Practical implications To avoid the failure of specimens outside the gauge length, a previously proposed modification to the geometry was adopted. The geometry has a parabolic profile with a curvature of 1,000 mm tangent to the middle part of the specimen. Originality/value Several authors have reported the stiffness and strength of 3D-printed parts under static and ambient temperature for different build parameters. However, there is a lack of literature on the combination of the latter with the temperature effects on the mechanical properties which this paper covers.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4544
Author(s):  
Osman Konuray ◽  
Arnau Sola ◽  
Jordi Bonada ◽  
Agnieszka Tercjak ◽  
Albert Fabregat-Sanjuan ◽  
...  

Versatile acrylate–epoxy hybrid formulations are becoming widespread in photo/thermal dual-processing scenarios, especially in 3D printing applications. Usually, parts are printed in a stereolithography or digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer, after which a thermal treatment would bestow the final material with superior mechanical properties. We report the successful formulation of such a hybrid system, consisting of a commercial 3D printing acrylate resin modified by an epoxy–anhydride mixture. In the final polymeric network, we observed segregation of an epoxy-rich phase as nano-domains, similar to what was observed in a previous work. However, in the current work, we show the effectiveness of a coupling agent added to the formulation to mitigate this segregation for when such phase separation is undesired. The hybrid materials showed significant improvement of Young’s modulus over the neat acrylate. Once the flexible, partially-cured material was printed with a minimal number of layers, it could be molded into a complex form and thermally cured. Temporary shapes were readily programmable on this final material, with easy shape recovery under mild temperatures. Inspired by repairable 3D printed materials described recently, we manufactured a large object by printing its two halves, and then joined them covalently at the thermal cure stage with an apparently seamless union.


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