DLP 3D printing of TiO2-doped Al2O3 bioceramics: Manufacturing, mechanical properties, and biological evaluation

Abstract

Ceramic-based biomaterials are generally produced using conventional manufacturing methods. The traditional manufacturing methods have limitations, such as material loss and a slow production process when creating personalized and complex ceramic implants. These limitations reduce the efficiency and success rate of the product. 3D printers, which are additive manufacturing methods, are a technology that enables tiny and sensitive parts to be produced quickly in the desired design. In the present study, TiO2-doped Al2O3 bioceramic parts with complicated shapes were fabricated using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology. Furthermore, the mechanical, structural, and biocompatibility features of these parts were studied. The rheology studies revealed that a slurry with a solid powder loading of 50% had a suitable viscosity for 3D printing. After sintering bioceramic parts, the sintered bodies reduced significantly, with a maximum shrinkage of 41.98%. The relative density of Al2O3 ceramic decreased from 82.02 to 72.72% with 5 wt% TiO2 addition. The XRD results revealed that TiO2-doped Al2O3 bioceramic has three crystalline phases consisting of corundum (α-Al2O3), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and aluminum pentaoxotitanate (Al2TiO5). By adding 5 wt% TiO2, the compression and flexural strengths of Al2O3 increased to 3.25 to 7.07 MPa and 1.07 to 4.24 MPa, respectively. The biological test results demonstrated a high percentage of cell adhesion and proliferation confirmed by high biocompatibility. The findings show that DLP-3D printing techniques could be used to fabricate ceramics for various applications, including biomedical and dental applications, at low cost.