Mechanical testing of hydroxyapatite filaments for tissue scaffolds preparation by fused deposition of ceramics

Abstract

Composite filaments with diameter ∼1.75 mm suitable for fused deposition of ceramics were prepared from commercial hydroxyapatite powders (HAp-0, d50 ≤ 35 μm and HAp-1, d50 ≤ 16 μm) and thermoplastic polymer - polyvinyl alcohol. The filament printability in FDC applicable as specific bone-part replacements, is connected to its mechanical strength and slenderness ratio affecting the resistance to buckling. The HAp content in prepared composite filaments was at the level of ∼ 50 % and their mechanical properties were compared to commercial filament based on polylactic acid and ∼ 27 % of gypsite used as inorganic filler. The tensile strength of laboratory prepared filaments was about 3 times lower than strength found for commercial filament. The critical buckling pressure calculated from Euler buckling analysis using measured intrinsic Young´s modulus revealed underestimated critical pressure values ∼ 2.5–5.0 times if compared to values of maximal filament compressive pressure loads simulating buckling.