Figure 1.

PLA-45S5 BG filaments for fused deposition modeling. (A) Schematic diagram depicting the process pipeline to fabricate PLA-BG FDM printed scaffolds with (i) mixing of the raw materials PLA and 45S5 BG, (ii) filament production using a polymer extruder with an image of the final extruded and spooled 45S5 BG containing PLA filaments and (iii) FDM 3D printing by feeding the prior produced filaments into a FDM printer. (B) Light microscopy images of the final BG-laden PLA filaments of 0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10% (wt) 45S5 BG content. An increase in turbidity with increasing BG content is observed. Scale bars: 500 μm. (C) SEM Micrograph of the filament cross section with 45S5 BG (d₅₀ = 4 ± 1 μm) particles homogeneously distributed inside the bulk PLA matrix. Scale bars: 500 μm (left), 15 μm (right). (D) Filament diameter monitored during filament extrusion illustrating the yield of filament as a function of the time required until a near constant filament diameter of d = 2.85 mm was extruded. It is visible that with increasing BG content, the time required to extrude filaments of a constant diameter increases. (E) Diameter of final filaments utilized for FDM printing (mean ± SD, n = 6; ^****p < 0.0001 significant difference of mean diameter compared to pure PLA filaments determined by one-way ANOVA). (F) Tensile testing of the resulting PLA-45S5 BG filaments. Representative stress strain curves depicting the characteristic stress strain behavior of the resulting filaments with a decrease in ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break with increasing BG content.