Filaments Made of Magnesium-Incorporated Polymer for Potential Use in Bone Implants

Magnesium (Mg) has similar mechanical qualities to bones, is biocompatible, and is biodegradable, making it suitable for bone tissue engineering applications. The primary goal of this study is to investigate the potential of using Mg-loaded polymer composites as filament feedstock for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. Four polymer-magnesium compositions were synthesized and produced into filaments, then used to print test samples on an FDM 3D printer. The effects of Mg inclusion on the filament's thermal, physicochemical, and printability properties are evaluated. The Mg particles are equally distributed in all compositions, according to SEM analysis of the films. The FTIR results show no chemical reaction between the polymers and the Mg particles. The photos of the filament's cross-section reveal that the distribution of Mg particles is uniform up to a Mg concentration of 15%. Beyond that, it has been demonstrated that uneven distribution and a rise in pores around the Mg particles impact their printability. The potential for using composite biomaterials for 3D printed bone implants exists with the 5 and 10% Mg composite filaments that were printable overall.