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 °C for pure PLA to 64.50 °C for PLA/MgTiO₃ composites via solution coating. Also, a reduction of 29.1⁰ 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.