One main application of resorbable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and poly-L-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) based materials is in medical implants. In this study composites were made from PLLA and PLGA with hydroxyapatite (HAp) respective beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) fillers. The filler content and particle size were varied, and the thermal properties as well as the mechanical strength of the composites were investigated. The composites were made by an extrusion compounding process giving 2-2.5 mm diameter sized profiles. The results verified that the thermal stability of the composites was reasonable during the optimized compounding conditions. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the fillers were well dispersed in the polymer matrices. The mechanical properties were improved by the addition of the fillers. The optimum mechanical properties for the extruded profiles were obtained with the HAp fillers. The E-modulus was increased from 3.3 to 4.6 GPa by addition of filler particles (30 wt%) whereas the flexural strength was reduced from 133 to 106 MPa.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.