Biocompatible Composite Filaments Printable by Fused Deposition Modelling Technique: Selection of Tuning Parameters by Influence of Biogenic Hydroxyapatite and Graphene Nanoplatelets Ratios
Aura-Cătălina Mocanu,
Andreea-Elena Constantinescu,
Mădălina-Andreea Pandele,
Ștefan Ioan Voicu,
Robert-Cătălin Ciocoiu,
Dan Batalu,
Augustin Semenescu,
Florin Miculescu,
Lucian-Toma Ciocan
Affiliations
Aura-Cătălina Mocanu
Department of Metallic Materials Science, Physical Metallurgy, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, J Building, District 6, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Andreea-Elena Constantinescu
Department of Metallic Materials Science, Physical Metallurgy, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, J Building, District 6, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Mădălina-Andreea Pandele
Department of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Str., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ștefan Ioan Voicu
Department of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Str., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Robert-Cătălin Ciocoiu
Department of Metallic Materials Science, Physical Metallurgy, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, J Building, District 6, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Dan Batalu
Department of Metallic Materials Science, Physical Metallurgy, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, J Building, District 6, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Augustin Semenescu
Department of Engineering and Management of Obtaining Metallic Materials, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, J Building, District 6, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Florin Miculescu
Department of Metallic Materials Science, Physical Metallurgy, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, J Building, District 6, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Lucian-Toma Ciocan
Prosthetics Technology and Dental Materials Department, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, District 1, 020022 Bucharest, Romania
The proposed strategy for the extrusion of printable composite filaments follows the favourable association of biogenic hydroxyapatite (HA) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) as reinforcement materials for a poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix. HA particles were chosen in the <40 μm range, while GNP were selected in the micrometric range. During the melt–mixing incorporation into the PLA matrix, both reinforcement ratios were simultaneously modulated for the first time at different increments. Cylindrical composite pellets/test samples were obtained only for the mechanical and wettability behaviour evaluation. The Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy depicted two levels of overlapping structures due to the solid molecular bond between all materials. Scanning electron microscopy and surface wettability and mechanical evaluations vouched for the (1) uniform/homogenous dispersion/embedding of HA particles up to the highest HA/GNP ratio, (2) physical adhesion at the HA-PLA interface due to the HA particles’ porosity, (3) HA-GNP bonding, and (4) PLA-GNP synergy based on GNP complete exfoliation and dispersion into the matrix.
