Page 17 - eBook_Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Manufacturing V1

DEGRADATION ANALYSIS OF 3D
PRINTED PLA IN SIMULATED BODY

Kuang Yee Ng (Universiti Malaysia Perlis), Muhammad Nur Azfar
Jaafar (Universiti Malaysia Perlis), Noorhafiza Muhammad (Universiti
Malaysia Perlis)*, Siti Noor Fazliah Mohd Noor (Universiti Sains
Malaysia), Shayfull Zamree Abd. Rahim (Universiti Malaysia Perlis),
Mohd Shuhidan Saleh (Universiti Malaysia Perlis), Nur Amalina
Muhammad (Universiti Sains Malaysia), Mohd Haidiezulab Jamal
(Universiti Malaysia Perlis), Mohamad Syafiq Abd. Khadir (Universiti
Malaysia Perlis), Kamalakanta Muduli (Papua New Guinea University
of Technology) and V.K. Bupesh Raja Sathyabama Institute of Science
and Technology)

ABSTRACT

This study explores the potential of using 3D printing to create
biodegradable bone scaffolds from polylactic acid (PLA). Bone
scaffolds are crucial in tissue engineering for providing structural
support and promoting new bone growth in cases of injury or
disease. PLA is a promising material for this application due to its
biocompatibility and biodegradability, allowing the scaffold to
degrade over time as new tissue forms. The research involves
designing and 3D printing PLA samples in different shapes (Cube,
Dogbone, and Bar) using a Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D printer. The
printing parameters, including infill density, infill pattern, layer
thickness, bed temperature and nozzle temperature are carefully
controlled to achieve high-quality scaffolds. The degradation
behaviour of the samples was assessed in simulated body fluid
(SBF) over a 28-day period, focusing on changes in weight and
pH. The results revealed that slender geometries exhibited faster
degradation, while confined structures induced greater local pH
variation, highlighting the critical role of geometry in modulating
degradation kinetics and biochemical microenvironment. These
findings provide valuable insights into the design of 3D-printed
PLA bone scaffolds. Future studies are suggested to investigate

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