Selective laser sintering of polyamide/hydroxyapatite scaffolds

Abstract

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technique that enables final products to be processed without additional machining. SLS permits the fabrication of implants and scaffolds with complex geometry for biomedical applications. In this study, composite scaffolds of polyamide (PA2200) filled with particles of hydroxyapatite (HA) were fabricated using SLS. The microstructure and mechanical properties were characterized. The effects of SLS processing parameters, including particle content and laser power, were investigated. Particle content and laser energy play a key role in the final density and mechanical properties of the sintered components. This study demonstrated that HA-reinforced PA can be successfully manufactured by SLS with controlled porosity features.