Innovative Manufacturing Process of Functionalized PA2200 for Reduced Adhesion Properties

Abstract

This work proposes an approach to fabricate micro patterned surfaces on PA2200 polyamide in order to improve its performance in terms of wettability and adhesion. In more detail, the present work aims to change the wettability of the surface and decrease their bacteria adhesion tendency. The experimental procedure consists of imprinting a set of different micro patterned structures over the polymer in order to verify the effectiveness of the methodology to change the contact angle of the surface, and in turn, reduce the occurrence of bacteria adhesion. Four different surface patterning were produced by laser ablation of a commercially pure titanium alloy, and then imprinted over the polyamide by surface stamping. The resulting surfaces were analyzed by topographical characterization and scanning electron microscopy. The wettability was probed by contact angle measurements while the bacteria adhesion was analyzed by adhesion test. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method to modify the surface characteristics and to obtain a reliable patterned surface without using chemical hazardous material; opening to the possibility to replicate more complex structures and to obtain graded engineering surfaces.

Selective Laser Sintering of PA 2200 for Hip Implant Applications: Finite Element Analysis, Process Optimization, Morphological and Mechanical Characterization

“…Polyamide 12 (PA 2200) is a polymer that is often used to produce implants because of its high level of biocompatibility and its mechanical properties. This type of polyamide is suitable for use in the SLS manufacturing process, in all EOSINT P systems with the fine polyamide option, or in all DTM Sinterstation machines [ 20 , 21 ]. Many researchers have tried to find out which is the best material composition, the optimum technological parameters, or the right pattern to apply onto the implant surfaces in order to increase their biocompatibility and mechanical properties [ 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”