scholarly journals The Effect of Chemical Cleaning on Mechanical Properties of Three-Dimensional Printed Polylactic Acid

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie C. Fleischer ◽  
Jan C. Diehl ◽  
Linda S. G. L. Wauben ◽  
Jenny Dankelman

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) printing may be a solution to shortages of equipment and spare parts in the healthcare sector of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Polylactic acid (PLA) for 3D printing is widely available and biocompatible, but there is a gap in knowledge concerning its compatibility with chemical disinfectants. In this study, 3D-printed PLA tensile samples were created with six different printer settings. Each of these six batches consisted of five sets with five or six samples. The first set remained untreated, the others were soaked in Cidex OPA or in a chlorine solution. These were applied for seven consecutive days or in 25 short cycles. All samples were weighed before and after treatment and subjected to a tensile test. Results showed that a third of the treatments led to an increase of the median weight with a maximum of 8.3%, however, the samples with the best surface quality did not change. The median strength increase was 12.5% and the largest decrease was 8.8%. The median stiffness decreased 3.6% in one set and increased in three others up to 13.6%. When 3D printing PLA medical tools, surface porosity must be minimized to prevent transfer of disinfectants to people. The wide variability of mechanical properties due to 3D printing itself and as a consequence of disinfection must be considered when designing medical tools by selecting appropriate printer settings. If these conditions are met, reusing 3D-printed PLA medical tools seems safe from a mechanical point of view.

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.


Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2456
Author(s):  
Demei Lee ◽  
Guan-Yu Wu

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a manufacturing technology which creates three-dimensional objects layer-by-layer or drop-by-drop with minimal material waste. Despite the fact that 3D printing is a versatile and adaptable process and has advantages in establishing complex and net-shaped structures over conventional manufacturing methods, the challenge remains in identifying the optimal parameters for the 3D printing process. This study investigated the influence of processing parameters on the mechanical properties of Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)-printed carbon fiber-filled polylactide (CFR-PLA) composites by employing an orthogonal array model. After printing, the tensile and impact strengths of the printed composites were measured, and the effects of different parameters on these strengths were examined. The experimental results indicate that 3D-printed CFR-PLA showed a rougher surface morphology than virgin PLA. For the variables selected in this analysis, bed temperature was identified as the most influential parameter on the tensile strength of CFR-PLA-printed parts, while bed temperature and print orientation were the key parameters affecting the impact strengths of printed composites. The 45° orientation printed parts also showed superior mechanical strengths than the 90° printed parts.


Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhan Liao ◽  
Chang Liu ◽  
Bartolomeo Coppola ◽  
Giuseppina Barra ◽  
Luciano Di Maio ◽  
...  

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising technology for the rapid tooling and fabrication of complex geometry components. Among all AM techniques, fused filament fabrication (FFF) is the most widely used technique for polymers. However, the consistency and properties control of the FFF product remains a challenging issue. This study aims to investigate physical changes during the 3D printing of polylactic acid (PLA). The correlations between the porosity, crystallinity and mechanical properties of the printed parts were studied. Moreover, the effects of the build-platform temperature were investigated. The experimental results confirmed the anisotropy of printed objects due to the occurrence of orientation phenomena during the filament deposition and the formation both of ordered and disordered crystalline forms (α and δ, respectively). A heat treatment post-3D printing was proposed as an effective method to improve mechanical properties by optimizing the crystallinity (transforming the δ form into the α one) and overcoming the anisotropy of the 3D printed object.


BioResources ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 2774-2788
Author(s):  
Zhaozhe Yang ◽  
Xinhao Feng ◽  
Min Xu ◽  
Denis Rodrigue

To efficiently and economically utilize a wood-plastic biocomposite, an eco-friendly biocomposite was prepared using modified poplar fiber and polylactic acid (PLA) via 3D printing technology for the first time. First, the effects of poplar fiber (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9%) on the mechanical and rheological properties of the printed biocomposites were investigated. Subsequently, the printing parameters, including printing temperature, speed, and layer thickness, were optimized to obtain the biocomposite with superior properties. Finally, four printing orientations were applied to the biocomposite based on the optimized printing parameters to study the effect of filament orientation on the properties of the biocomposite. Favorable printability and mechanical properties of the biocomposite were obtained at 5% poplar fiber. The optimal printing temperature of 220 °C, speed of 40 mm/s, and layer thickness of 0.2 mm were obtained to produce the desired mechanical properties of the biocomposite with the printing orientation in a longitudinal stripe. However, the printing parameters should be chosen according to the applications, where different physical and mechanical properties are needed to achieve efficient and economical utilization of the biocomposites.


RSC Advances ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (51) ◽  
pp. 32408-32418
Author(s):  
Natalia Fijoł ◽  
Hani Nasser Abdelhamid ◽  
Binsi Pillai ◽  
Stephen A. Hall ◽  
Nebu Thomas ◽  
...  

Water purification filters based on polylactic acid functionalised with hydroxyapatite were prepared by solvent-assisted blending and thermally induced phase separation (TIPS), extruded into filaments and processed via three-dimensional (3D) printing.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1401
Author(s):  
Danae Karalia ◽  
Angeliki Siamidi ◽  
Vangelis Karalis ◽  
Marilena Vlachou

The aim of this review is to present the factors influencing the mechanical properties of 3D-printed oral dosage forms. It also explores how it is possible to use specific excipients and printing parameters to maintain the structural integrity of printed drug products while meeting the needs of patients. Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an emerging manufacturing technology that is gaining acceptance in the pharmaceutical industry to overcome traditional mass production and move toward personalized pharmacotherapy. After continuous research over the last thirty years, 3D printing now offers numerous opportunities to personalize oral dosage forms in terms of size, shape, release profile, or dose modification. However, there is still a long way to go before 3D printing is integrated into clinical practice. 3D printing techniques follow a different process than traditional oral dosage from manufacturing methods. Currently, there are no specific guidelines for the hardness and friability of 3D printed solid oral dosage forms. Therefore, new regulatory frameworks for 3D-printed oral dosage forms should be established to ensure that they meet all appropriate quality standards. The evaluation of mechanical properties of solid dosage forms is an integral part of quality control, as tablets must withstand mechanical stresses during manufacturing processes, transportation, and drug distribution as well as rough handling by the end user. Until now, this has been achieved through extensive pre- and post-processing testing, which is often time-consuming. However, computational methods combined with 3D printing technology can open up a new avenue for the design and construction of 3D tablets, enabling the fabrication of structures with complex microstructures and desired mechanical properties. In this context, the emerging role of computational methods and artificial intelligence techniques is highlighted.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 666-675
Author(s):  
Nor Aiman Sukindar ◽  
Mohd Khairol Anuar Mohd Ariffin ◽  
B. T. Hang Tuah Baharudin ◽  
Che Nor Aiza Jaafar ◽  
Mohd Idris Shah Ismail

Additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is the process of developing 3D products in a layer-by-layer manner using filament as a material feedstock to create a solid structure. Owing to its unique properties and advantages, which include biodegradability and printing speed, polylactic acid is one of the most common 3D printing extrusion materials. While a considerable attention has been paid to the manipulation of process parameters in order to achieve desired finished product quality, to date less research has been performed on improving the hardware systems of low-cost 3D printers. This study focuses on fabricating the 3D printer nozzle parts, with an emphasis on die angle, nozzle diameter, liquefier design, and insulator composition. Modifying the properties of these components from the conventional nozzle, it is possible to optimize the stability and accuracy of the extrusion process, leading to better-quality printed products. To demonstrate the capability of the new nozzle, its tensile and compressive strengths were compared to those of a conventional nozzle. The obtained results proved that the proposed augmentations to the nozzle system lead to finished products with improved mechanical properties.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 3454
Author(s):  
Pattaraporn Panraksa ◽  
Sheng Qi ◽  
Suruk Udomsom ◽  
Pratchaya Tipduangta ◽  
Pornchai Rachtanapun ◽  
...  

The application of hydrophilic polymers in designing and three-dimensional (3D) printing of pharmaceutical products in various dosage forms has recently been paid much attention. Use of hydrophilic polymers and syringe extrusion 3D printing technology in the fabrication of orodispersible films (ODFs) might hold great potential in rapid drug delivery, personalized medicine, and manufacturing time savings. In this study, the feasibility of 3D-printed ODFs fabrication through a syringe extrusion 3D printing technique and using five different hydrophilic polymers (e.g., hydroxypropyl methylcellulose E15, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose E50, high methoxyl pectin, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and hydroxyethylcellulose) as film-forming polymers and printing materials has been investigated. Rheology properties and printability of printing gels and physicochemical and mechanical properties of 3D-printed ODFs were evaluated. Amongst the investigated hydrophilic polymers, sodium carboxymethylcellulose at a concentration of 5% w/v (SCMC-5) showed promising results with a good printing resolution and accurate dimensions of the 3D-printed ODFs. In addition, SCMC-5 3D-printed ODFs exhibited the fastest disintegration time within 3 s due to high wettability, roughness and porosity on the surface. However, the results of the mechanical properties study showed that SCMC-5 3D printed ODFs were rigid and brittle, thus requiring special packaging to prevent them from any damage before practical use.


2022 ◽  
Vol 1217 (1) ◽  
pp. 012002
Author(s):  
N P Sorimpuk ◽  
W H Choong ◽  
B L Chua

Abstract Patient specific plastic cast for broken limbs has been developed recently in pharmaceutical field through three-dimensional (3D) printing method. However, the production of a 3D printed cast through normal 3D printing method is time consuming compared to conventional plaster casting. In this study, a design of ventilated structured thermoformable 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) cast was produced as an alternative for the 3D printed cast production method. This design was initially printed in a flat shape and then transformed into a cast which can be fitted to the user’s arm by using heat and external force. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) method was used to assess the mechanical properties of the proposed cast. In this analysis, thethermoformable design was exerted with a distributed force of 400 N, which is larger than the loading conditions encountered by human in their daily life. The mechanical properties of the thermoformable PLA cast such as local displacement under a specific load, maximum load, and stress were evaluated. Results were compared with the mechanical properties of Plaster of Paris cast. The results obtained from the FEA indicates that at the same layer thickness, the thermoformable 3D-printed PLA cast is stronger than the Plaster of Paris cast.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 3806
Author(s):  
Pablo Romero-Araya ◽  
Victor Pino ◽  
Ariel Nenen ◽  
Verena Cárdenas ◽  
Francisca Pavicic ◽  
...  

The design of scaffolds to reach similar three-dimensional structures mimicking the natural and fibrous environment of some cells is a challenge for tissue engineering, and 3D-printing and electrospinning highlights from other techniques in the production of scaffolds. The former is a well-known additive manufacturing technique devoted to the production of custom-made structures with mechanical properties similar to tissues and bones found in the human body, but lacks the resolution to produce small and interconnected structures. The latter is a well-studied technique to produce materials possessing a fibrillar structure, having the advantage of producing materials with tuned composition compared with a 3D-print. Taking the advantage that commercial 3D-printers work with polylactide (PLA) based filaments, a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, in this work we produce PLA-based composites by blending materials obtained by 3D-printing and electrospinning. Porous PLA fibers have been obtained by the electrospinning of recovered PLA from 3D-printer filaments, tuning the mechanical properties by blending PLA with small amounts of polyethylene glycol and hydroxyapatite. A composite has been obtained by blending two layers of 3D-printed pieces with a central mat of PLA fibers. The composite presented a reduced storage modulus as compared with a single 3D-print piece and possessing similar mechanical properties to bone tissues. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of the composites is assessed by a simulated body fluid assay and by culturing composites with 3T3 fibroblasts. We observed that all these composites induce the growing and attaching of fibroblast over the surface of a 3D-printed layer and in the fibrous layer, showing the potential of commercial 3D-printers and filaments to produce scaffolds to be used in bone tissue engineering.


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