Low-cycle fatigue behavior of 3d-printed PLA-based porous scaffolds

In the present work PLA and PLA/15% wt. HA porous scaffolds for bone replacements with pre-modeled structure were obtained by 3D-printing by fused filament fabrication. The average pore size and porosity of the scaffolds were 700 gm and 30 vol. %, respectively. The modulus of elasticity, height of the samples, elastic deformation, accumulated energy and structural characteristics of 3D porous scaffolds were studied during the low-cycle tests. A decrease in the height, collapse of pores, delamination, bending and shear of the printed layers, growth and propagation of cracks during cyclic loading was observed. The introduction of dispersed HA particles reduced the rate of accumulation of defects. PLA/15%HA porous scaffolds with a larger crack resistance have the potential to be used as implants for trabecular bone replacement which are able to function under cyclic loading at a stress of 21 MPa for a long time without change. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.