Manufacturing of individual biodegradable bone substitute implants using selective laser melting technique

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing
• Medical Device Development

Background:

• Selective laser melting (SLM) is a viable additive manufacturing technique for metal implants.
• SLM allows for direct 3D part fabrication with high density from patient-specific data.
• Porous structures can be integrated into implant designs for enhanced osseointegration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop selective laser melting (SLM) processes for a biodegradable composite material.
• The material consists of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and poly(D,L)-lactide (PDLLA).
• To assess the suitability of the developed composite for manufacturing patient-specific implants.

Main Methods:

• Development of a β-TCP/PDLLA powder composite suitable for SLM.
• Manufacturing of samples using the developed composite and SLM.
• Microstructural analysis, four-point bending tests, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

Main Results:

• A homogeneous microstructure of ceramic (β-TCP) and polymer (PDLLA) was achieved.
• The composite exhibited a four-point bending strength of up to 23 MPa.
• XRD confirmed β-TCP as the sole crystalline phase; GPC showed minimal polymer degradation from the SLM process.

Conclusions:

• Selective laser melting (SLM) is a promising technique for fabricating biodegradable implants.
• The developed β-TCP/PDLLA composite is suitable for additive manufacturing of custom implants.
• SLM offers a novel approach for producing individualized biodegradable β-TCP/PDLLA implants.