Mg-Doped PLA Composite as a Potential Material for Tissue Engineering-Synthesis, Characterization, and Additive
Fawad Ali1, Ans Al Rashid1, Sumama Nuthana Kalva1
1Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 14, 2023
Summary
Magnesium (Mg) reinforced Polylactic acid (PLA) composites show promise for bone regeneration. Adding Mg significantly enhances PLA
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Science
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biocompatible polymer with limitations in biodegradability for bone tissue engineering.
- Magnesium (Mg) offers good biodegradability and osteoconductivity, making it suitable for bone regeneration applications.
- Mg/PLA composites are being explored to overcome PLA's limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare and characterize Mg/PLA composites for direct ink writing (DIW) in 3D printing.
- To investigate the effect of Mg addition on PLA's thermal, structural, and degradation properties.
- To evaluate the suitability of Mg/PLA inks for 3D printing bone scaffolds.
Main Methods:
- Preparation and characterization of Mg/PLA composites with varying Mg content.
- X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to analyze crystallinity and thermal stability.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to study surface morphology and composition.
- Direct Ink Writing (DIW) 3D printing experiments.
Main Results:
- Mg addition significantly impacted PLA's thermal properties, increasing crystallization temperature and decreasing melting temperature.
- Incorporation of Mg enhanced PLA's degradation rate.
- Mg/PLA films with 5 wt% Mg exhibited an ordered honeycomb structure, potentially influencing material properties.
- Successful preliminary DIW 3D printing of dimensionally and structurally integral scaffold samples.
Conclusions:
- Mg/PLA composites show potential as printable biomaterials for bone tissue engineering.
- Mg addition improves PLA's biodegradability and influences its structural characteristics.
- Further research is needed to optimize ink rheology for improved shape fidelity in DIW 3D printing.
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