Assessment of the Surface Properties of Printouts Made in FDM Technology Subjected to Process Electrocorrosion in the Simulated Body Fluid Solution

Abstract

Printing in three dimensions has recently become a very popular method of supporting the work of medics. This technology produces not only elements that provide technical support, but also surgical tools, scaffolds for tissue engineering, and implants. The materials used for the printing process should be characterized by significant fatigue strength, hardness and corrosion resistance in conditions of body fluids. The possibility of using individual polymers for 3D printing should be carefully examined. The focus here should be on the analysis of filaments before the printing process, but it is also necessary to check the physical properties of the finished printout after the hydrolytic degradation process. In the presented study, printouts obtained in the FDM technology from three materials were used, which were subjected to the electrocorrosion process in the Simulated Body Fluid solution for a period of 30 days under constant conditions. Through microscopic examinations and roughness measurements, the degree to which the degrading solution influenced the surfaces of the analyzed samples was determined. The results of the tests carried out may contribute to the determination of the center's action on the tribological properties of printouts and constitute the basis for further tests.