DESENVOLVIMENTO DE BIOFILAMENTOS DE COMPÓSITOS DE POLI(FLUORETO DE VINILIDENO) E HIDROXIAPATITA PARA APLICAÇÕES BIOMÉDICAS

Abstract

In this work, biocomposites containing poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) were synthesized for the production of filaments for 3D printing, in order to produce medical prostheses for skeletal problems. For this, it was used commercial PVDF (Alfa-Aesar 99.8%) in powder form. Hydroxyapatite (HAp) was obtained by calcining bovine bones. The biocomposites were obtained by mixing PVDF and HAp, in proportions 100% PVDF, 95% PVDF-5% HAp, 85% PVDF-15% HAp, and 75% PVDF-25% HAp. With an extruder, the filaments were obtained using composite pellets. The filaments were subjected to structural and bioactivity characterizations, using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersed spectroscopy (EDS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG), in vitro bioactivity and cell viability tests. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, vibrational modes were obtained as well as the percentage of β-phase of PVDF, which is the phase with the best piezoelectric properties. The images obtained by SEM showed that the sample presents good consolidation, with 0-3 connectivity at some points, while at others there is particle agglomeration. The filaments did not show cytotoxicity, revealing a cell viability of approximately 100%. The sample containing 85%PVDF-15%HAp proved to be bioactive in vitro, but the same sample, after the 3D printing process, did not show bioactivity, requiring further investigation and improvement.