Novel Approach for Processing and Fabricating PLA/MgTiO3 Composite Filaments in Biomedical 3D Printing with Enhanced Mechanical and Thermal Properties

In 3D printing, achieving uniformity in polymer-based composite filaments is essential for efficiency and quality. This study presents a new approach using solution coating to create poly-lactic acid (PLA) filaments reinforced with magnesium titanate (MgTiO3) particles, targeting biomedical applications like porous scaffolds. Compared to traditional solvent casting, solution coating involves spraying a MgTiO3/CH2Cl2 solution onto the PLA filament, ensuring strong adhesion of reinforcement powders and resulting in superior structural integrity. XRD analysis indicates better filler dispersion in solution-coated composites, while FESEM images show enhanced surface roughness and homogeneity. DSC results reveal an increased glass transition temperature from 60.74 degrees C for pure PLA to 64.50 degrees C for PLA/MgTiO3 composites via solution coating. Also, a reduction of 29.1(0) in the contact angle was observed, attributed to the combined influence of enhanced hydrophilicity and increased surface roughness introduced by the MgTiO3 particles. Compression tests demonstrate higher strength, with solution-coated scaffolds reaching 44.81 MPa compared to 33.02 MPa for neat PLA. This study highlights the efficacy of solution coating in producing high-quality PLA/MgTiO3 composite filaments with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties, promising advancements in bone implants and 3D printing technology. Furthermore, this scalable method effectively creates biodegradable thermoplastic/ceramic composite filaments for 3D printing, utilizing the benefits of both materials for tissue engineering. It offers a practical and efficient approach to produce uniform PLA-based composite filaments, well suited for extrusion-based additive manufacturing techniques such as FDM.