Bio-mechanical analysis for characterising a commercial 3D printed composite

The aim of this research was to mechanically and biologically characterise a relatively new composite material, which enabled the monitoring of the materials performance within a bio-mechanical context for future application. This paper investigates the bio-mechanical properties of a commercial composite, printed using a rapid prototyper. The printed infiltrated samples were also examined for cytotoxic effects when in solution with fibroblast cells. This research paper demonstrated that the density of the commercial composite and compressive strength closely mimic that of cancellous bone. Unhardened samples exhibited a compressive strength of up to 6.5 MPa. The introduction of open pore cells exhibited a compressive strength range between 0.383-5.15 MPa, and behaved in a manner similar to other ceramic composites. The investigation of the 3D printed samples allowed us to evaluate the mechanical properties of the material as well as the biocompatibility of the infiltration techniques employed.