The ability to produce medical devices composed of bioresorbable materials through additive manufacturing could lead the way to precision medicine. Such devices eliminate the need for secondary surgeries (e.g. explant) and significantly enhance a patient’s post-operative life quality. However, a key question for the use of thermoplastic based resorbable materials lies in the potential changes in properties experienced during manufacturing, and thus the effect of processing parameters on the products of the final device is of critical importance. Specific materials are selected for mechanical and resorption rate properties based on bulk measurements. Mechanical tensile properties are the primary focus of these initial discussions because mechanical failure would lead to irrevocable consequences to a patient. In this work, additive manufacturing of medical grade polymers and copolymers of L-lactide, ε-caprolactone were extruded into filaments of 1.75 mm in diameter and printed at different infill percentages. The molecular, thermal, and mechanical properties of the resulting samples of the bioresorbable polymers were evaluated. Homopolymers of L-lactide and ε-caprolactone were able to maintain molecular properties, experience a decrease in thermal properties, and fill with varying degrees of tensile modulus and peak stress. A unique copolymer of L-lactide, ε-caprolactone, and trimethylene carbonate, Lactoflex® 7415, was also evaluated and demonstrated to possess a crossover of mechanical properties between both L-lactide and ε-caprolactone homopolymers. Lactoflex® 7415 provides a unique alternative to homopolymers of L-lactide. With just the three materials and the infill parameter of AM, order of magnitude range in tensile strength and modulus properties were observed feasible and optimizable.

Effect of infill on resulting mechanical properties of additive manufactured bioresorbable polymers for medical devices

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.