Abstract
Use of 3D printed parts in biomedical applications has received attention recently. The applied loads, manufacturing pre-processing factors or in vivo conditions may affect the reliability and integrity of such implants. To obtain deeper understand regarding the cracking resistance and microstructure of extrusion-based 3D printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material a number of sub-sized and short bend beam samples are manufactured. The influence of raster orientation, Gamma radiation sterilization, body environment (saline 0.9% at temperature of 37 °C) and combined Sterilized process & body environment was studied on the mixed-mode I + II fracture toughness and strain energy release rate values. It was observed that exposing the 3D printed ABS material to Gamma-radiation process can increase noticeably the mixed mode fracture resistance compared to the control sample. Printing pattern with raster orientation of ±45° provided a higher mixed-mode fracture envelope compared to pattern of 0/90° for all investigated environments. The microstructure study of SEM pictures obtained from the investigated samples showed dominantly ductile type fracture with some evidences such as formation of dimples and ridge markings. The depth and number of ridge markings and dimples were increased by moving towards mode II (shear mode loading) and for the samples exposed to body environment.
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