Optimizing mechanical properties of synthetic bone implants via three-dimensional printing with PLA/PBS/HA blends: a mixture design approach

The aim of this research is to determine the optimal proportions and enhance mechanical properties to fabricate synthetic bone implants using a blend of Polylactic Acid (PLA), Polybutylene Succinate (PBS), and Hydroxyapatite (HA) through three-dimensional printing technology. The research begins by varying the ratio of PLA/PBS/HA with Mixture Design technique. Then, the PLA/PBS/HA filaments with glycerol as a binder were formed following the experimental design with a melting temperature of 160°C and a screw rotation speed of 20-40 revolutions per minute. 3D specimens were formed by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technique to examine their mechanical properties. The results showed that PLA of 48.94%w/w, PBS of 42.09%w/w, and HA of 8.97%w/w were the optimal ratio of the polymer blends affected by maximum compressive strength and yield strength at 55.9478 and 30.6042 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to study the thermal stability of the specimens. The result found that the polymer exhibited distinct degradation stages in response to elevated temperatures. Furthermore, the addition of hydroxyapatite (HA) noticeably augmented the residual weight percentage of both the polymer specimens and their blends.