Comparison of the Mechanical, Thermal and Structural Properties of Gamma-Irradiated and Conventional SLA 3D Printed Methacrylate-Based Photo-Curable Resin for Biomedical Application

This study aims to assess the morphological, thermal, chemical structure and mechanical properties of the gamma-irradiated and conventional (unirradiated) test specimens that were 3D printed using a methacrylate-based photo-curable resin and a stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer. The irradiated test specimens were exposed to 50 kGy gamma-ray dose. The morphological, thermal, chemical structure and mechanical properties of the irradiated and unirradiated test specimens were characterized using the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) and Universal Testing Machine (UTM). Results showed that irradiated test specimens exhibited lower surface roughness compared to the unirradiated specimens. Gamma-irradiated specimens also showed improved tensile strength and modulus of elasticity by 12.2% and 12.4 %, respectively. FTIR, DSC and TGA results showed no significant changes in the chemical structure and thermal properties of the 3D printed methacrylate-based resin after subjecting to gamma irradiation.