title: 3D Printing Biocompatible Polyurethane/Poly(lactic acid)/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites: Anisotropic Properties.
abstract: Blending thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a proven method to achieve a much more mechanically robust material, whereas the addition of graphene oxide (GO) is increasingly applied in polymer nanocomposites to tailor further their properties. On the other hand, additive manufacturing has high flexibility of structure design which can significantly expand the application of materials in many fields. This study demonstrates the fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing of TPU/PLA/GO nanocomposites and its potential application as biocompatible materials. Nanocomposites are prepared by solvent-based mixing process and extruded into filaments for FDM printing. The addition of GO largely enhanced the mechanical property and thermal stability of the nanocomposites. Interestingly, we found that the mechanical response is highly dependent on printing orientation. Furthermore, the 3D printed nanocomposites exhibit good biocompatibility with NIH3T3 cells, indicating promise as biomaterials scaffold for tissue engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
authors.forename: Qiyi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
authors.forename: Joey Dacula
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mangadlao
authors.affiliation: Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
authors.forename: Jaqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wallat
authors.affiliation: Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
authors.forename: Al
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Leon
authors.affiliation: Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan K
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5869-6942
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Pokorski
authors.affiliation: Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
authors.forename: Rigoberto C
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2899-4778
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Advincula
keywords: biocompatibility; fused deposition modeling; graphene oxide; mechanical enhancement; thermal stability; thermoplastic polyurethane/poly(lactic acid) polymer blend