Hemocompatibility of 3D-Printed ABS for Blood-Contacting Applications

Additive manufacturing offers significant opportunities for the development of blood-contacting devices. However, traditional biocompatible materials suitable for material extrusion (ME) often exhibit limited leak-tightness, restricting their application in this field. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a widely used thermoplastic valued for its impact resistance, durability, and compatibility with ME technology, making it a promising candidate for functional biomedical components and blood-contacting applications. Although some ABS filaments are marketed as medical grade and assessed for general biocompatibility, their hemocompatibility remains largely untested. This study aims to evaluate the hemocompatibility of ME 3D-printed ABS and to investigate whether acetone post-processing affects its blood-contact properties. Dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, PBS uptake, swelling, and wettability were characterized, and hemocompatibility was assessed through hemolysis, coagulation, and platelet and leukocyte interaction assays before and after acetone treatment, using two ABS filaments, one of which was marketed as medical grade. Hemolysis remained below the hemolytic threshold, indicating that ABS is non-hemolytic. Similarly, clot masses and platelet and leukocyte adhesion were significantly lower than positive controls. However, coagulation assays performed without anticoagulants indicated a time-dependent tendency toward thrombogenesis under static conditions. Acetone post-treatment improved surface smoothness and layer adhesion without adversely affecting hemocompatibility. No significant differences were observed between filament types or between acetone-treated and untreated groups. These findings suggest that 3D-printed ABS is suitable for in vitro and lab-scale blood-contacting applications, particularly when post-processed with acetone, although careful design considerations remain necessary to minimize thrombotic risks.