3D printing of PLA/BaTiO3 composites for complex scaffolds with triply periodic minimal surfaces
摘要
This work presents the development of a filament to evaluate its potential for 3D printing complex scaffolds. The filament was created through a material extrusion (MEX) process, incorporating 85/10/5 wt.% of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT), and glycerol (G), respectively. The scaffold features a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) geometry and was printed via fused deposition modeling (FDM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that the tetragonal structure was preserved after the extrusion process, as well as a uniform distribution of BT in the PLA matrix. Rheological testing highlighted the flow properties suited for FDM applications, while dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicated that the inclusion of BT enhanced the stiffness of the composite material. These findings affirm the feasibility of producing scaffolds using this composite filament, suggesting its promise for future applications in complex geometries, particularly in tissue engineering and the development of functional devices.
Graphical abstract