Investigation of 3D Printed Antibacterial Nanocomposites for Improved Public Health

Abstract

Bacterial infections have been recognized as a critical challenge to public health, resulting in substantial morbidity, mortality, and enormous costs. In this paper, a digital light processing (DLP) based 3D printing system is employed to rapidly manufacture photocurable thermoset polymers and nanocomposites for potential antibacterial applications. This work shows how nanoparticles that present antibacterial properties can be added to traditional DLP manufacturing and their effects on the physical properties. In this paper, titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in the 10 to 30-nm range are mixed with photocurable resins for rapid 3D printing and prototyping. The two resins used are a standard photopolymer rapid resin and an ABS-like photopolymer rapid resin. A 1% composite percentage is utilized to avoid the requirement of modification to the printing system due to greatly increased viscosity. Tensile testing data, contact angle data, and abrasion data are performed on a total of four different composites and two controls. These composites have shown a tensile strength of 29.53 MPa. At the 1% nanoparticle weight concentration, the 3D printing nanocomposites are transparent and demonstrate a complete penetration of particles throughout the entire print. The detailed experimental characterization will be conducted to understand the 3D printed material’s mechanical properties and microstructures fully. This research can enhance public health by providing a novel approach to control the spread of bacteria and other microbial.