The Effect of Disinfectants Absorption and Medical Decontamination on the Mechanical Performance of 3D-Printed ABS Parts.

Diana Popescu,Florin Baciu,Catalin Gheorghe Amza,Rodica Marinescu,Cosmin Mihai Cotrut

doi:10.3390/polym13234249

Abstract

Producing parts by 3D printing based on the material extrusion process determines the formation of air gaps within layers even at full infill density, while external pores can appear between adjacent layers making prints permeable. For the 3D-printed medical devices, this open porosity leads to the infiltration of disinfectant solutions and body fluids, which might pose safety issues. In this context, this research purpose is threefold. It investigates which 3D printing parameter settings are able to block or reduce permeation, and it experimentally analyzes if the disinfectants and the medical decontamination procedure degrade the mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts. Then, it studies acetone surface treatment as a solution to avoid disinfectants infiltration. The absorption tests results indicate the necessity of applying post-processing operations for the reusable 3D-printed medical devices as no manufacturing settings can ensure enough protection against fluid intake. However, some parameter settings were proven to enhance the sealing, in this sense the layer thickness being the most important factor. The experimental outcomes also show a decrease in the mechanical performance of 3D-printed ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) instruments treated by acetone cold vapors and then medical decontaminated (disinfected, cleaned, and sterilized by hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization) in comparison to the control prints. These results should be acknowledged when designing and 3D printing medical instruments.

Highlights

The medical sector benefits from the Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology’s ability to provide customization and to sustain delocalized and digitized manufacturing—very important aspects in situations such as SARS-COV-19 pandemic lockdown [5,6] or in remote areas, war zones, and outer space [7,8]
AM is characterized by a short supply chain [9], being capable of rapidly responding to the need of critical medical spare parts [10] or personal protective equipment (PPE) [6,10]
It does not require specific tools, molds, or fixtures, while the affordability and the availability of equipment have made it a ‘democratic’ manufacturing technology

Summary

Introduction

The medical sector benefits from the Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology’s ability to provide customization (surgical guides and instruments [1,2,3] and anatomical replicas [4]) and to sustain delocalized and digitized manufacturing—very important aspects in situations such as SARS-COV-19 pandemic lockdown [5,6] or in remote areas, war zones, and outer space [7,8]. It does not require specific tools, molds, or fixtures, while the affordability and the availability of equipment (in the case of AM based on the material extrusion process, known as 3D printing—3DP) have made it a ‘democratic’ manufacturing technology. In the medical field, there is a need for understanding the relationship between the printing parameters and the behavior of 3D prints subjected to specific medical decontamination procedures, and to validate their viability as reusable medical instruments, PPE, or other devices

Methods

Results

Conclusion