Medical-Grade Polyamide 12 Nanocomposite Materials for Enhanced Mechanical and Antibacterial Performance in 3D Printing Applications

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, wide use of 3D printing technologies has been enabled. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is the most widely used technique in 3D printing communities worldwide for the fabrication of medical components such as face shields and respiratory valves. In the current study, the potential of Polyamide 12 (PA12) silver-doped antibacterial nanopowder (AgDANP) nanocomposites is evaluated for everyday FFF usage. Filling loadings of 1.0-2.0-3.0 and 4.0 wt.% were selected for nanocomposite preparation. Mechanical performance analysis was conducted on the basis of tensile, flexural, impact, and Vickers microhardness measurements in FFF 3D-printed specimens. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images were used for morphology and processing evaluation, as well as thermal performance measurements, conducted by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) tests. Finally, the antibacterial performance was tested using the agar-well diffusion screening method, and the shape effect of the specimens was also investigated. The addition of 2.0 wt.% AgDANPs resulted in an enhancement of approximately 27% for both tensile and flexural stresses, while the antibacterial performance was sufficiently high among the nanocomposites tested. The shape effect exhibited the potential for antibacterial performance at low filling ratios, while the effect was diminished with increasing filler of AgDANPs.

The Composites of Polyamide 12 and Metal Oxides with High Antimicrobial Activity

“…The first example is a melt-blown process in which the non-woven fabric can be manufactured and used as protective masks or filters [ 35 ]. The other possibility is to use PA12 composites in the FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) 3D printing process to print the medical components such as respiratory valves, face shields or even the implants from the medical grade of PA12 [ 15 ].…”

Valorization of Starch to Biobased Materials: A Review

“…To this end, the development of novel materials such as aerogels and biofoams from starch has increased over the past decades. Besides, extant studies have documented the application of biomaterials for thermal insulation [ 2 , 15 , 16 ], medical purposes [ 15 , 16 ], chemical additives [ 17 ], and food packaging [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], amongst many other purposes. Few scholars have researched the pathways of valorizing starch into various products, which are not limited to those manufactured in cosmetics, nutraceuticals, food, and feed additives [ 23 , 24 ].…”

Trilateral Multi-Functional Polyamide 12 Nanocomposites with Binary Inclusions for Medical Grade Material Extrusion 3D Printing: The Effect of Titanium Nitride in Mechanical Reinforcement and Copper/Cuprous Oxide as Antibacterial Agents

“…Polyamides belong to the polymers’ family of materials. They are used in various engineering applications, such as catalytic applications [ 1 ], films and membranes [ 2 ], food packaging [ 3 ] among other fields, and medical applications [ 4 , 5 ], as they come in medical grades [ 5 ] and composite forms which are suitable for antibacterial activities [ 6 ] and orthopedic applications [ 7 ]. Polyamide 12 (PA12) is a popular polyamide, due to its enhanced thermal and mechanical response [ 8 ].…”

“…Polyamide 12 (PA12) is a popular polyamide, due to its enhanced thermal and mechanical response [ 8 ]. This specific grade has been investigated and applied in different additive manufacturing (AM) processes, such as binder jetting [ 9 ], powder bed fusion [ 10 , 11 ], and material extrusion (MEX) as pure material, or as the matrix material in composites [ 5 , 8 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. PA12 is a material suitable for the 3D printing (3DP) process, due to its rheological characteristics [ 22 ], its toughness, and high strain values before its failure [ 10 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”