MANUFACTURING OF POLYMER/MAGNESIUM COMPOSITE SCAFFOLDS VIA STEREOLITHOGRAPHY

Tissue scaffolds are developed/employed as a transitory framework to support the affected tissues and gradually degrade over the healing process. Finding the optimum material and technique for fabricating bone scaffolds has been the main focus, as implants must sustain structural strains, promote tissue proliferation, cell growth, and vascularization, and ensure biocompatibility. In this regard, polymers and their composites have found widespread use in fabricating three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds due to their remarkable properties. Stereolithography (SLA) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique used to manufacture intricate and complex bone scaffolds using polymers or composites that can be customized according to patient-specific anatomical needs- shape, size, and mechanical properties. This study explores the potential of incorporating Magnesium (Mg) nanoparticles into photocurable resin for bone implants manufactured through SLA. Magnesium, a renowned metal for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, osteoconductivity, and mechanical attributes, is suitable for tissue engineering. A photocurable resin was blended with different concentrations (wt.%) of Mg alloy, followed by AM and photocuring, to assess their printability and the impact of optimization on the 3D-printed structures. Physicochemical characterization was conducted to evaluate the effects of magnesium incorporation on the thermal stability and degradation properties of resin-Mg composites.