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In the past, several studies have been reported on the use of 3D-printed stifle prostheses (SP) to address patella luxation (PL) issues in canines. However, little has been reported on the characterization of 3D-printed novel SP prepared by the assembly of components (fabricated by powder bed fusion (PBF) and material extrusion (MEX process) for better service life. This study highlights the plastic strain deformation (observed as 0 at 600N load), followed by fatigue testing (observed as safe for 106 cycles of loading) through finite element analysis (FEA) of the 3D printed implant assembly of SP (using 17-4 precipitate hardened (PH) stainless steel (SS) and polylactic acid (PLA) material) for addressing PL issues (for all ages/ breeds of canine). Further, the 3D-printed functional prototypes were subjected to morphological, thermal, wear, and in vitro characterization to ascertain their use as SP. The result of the study suggests that SP prepared by the proposed methodology has acceptable mechanical properties (with a factor of safety ≈14) for its use as a commercial solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioplastics sector promotes environmentally friendly means of cutting down on the usage of fossil fuels, plastic waste, and environmental pollution. Plastic contamination has detrimental effects on both ecological systems and the global food supply. The approach we present here to resolve this issue involves the integration of sericin and gelatin, obtained from cocoon and fish waste, respectively, with nano-reinforced cellulose crystals, to develop a biodegradable and compostable plastic material. The use of cocoon and fish wastes for the extraction of sericin and gelatin presents an environmentally beneficial approach since it contributes to waste reduction. The sericin level found in silk cocoon waste was determined to be 28.08%, and the gelatin amount in fish waste was measured to be 58.25%. The inclusion of sericin and gelatin in bioplastics was accompanied by the incorporation of glycerol, vinegar, starch, sodium hydroxide, and other coloring agents. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) examination of bioplastics revealed the presence of functional groups that corresponded to the sericin and gelatin components. The tensile strength of the bioplastic material was measured to be 27.64 MPa/psi, while its thickness varied between 0.072 and 0.316 mm. The results of burial experiments indicated that the bioplastic material had a degradation rate of 85% after 14 days. The invention exhibits potential as a viable alternative for packaging, containment, and disposable plastic materials. The use of this sustainable approach is recommended for the extraction of sericin and gelatin from silk cocoons and fish waste, with the intention of using them as raw materials for bioplastic production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the flexural, morphological, and shape memory properties of polylactic acid (PLA) matrix sandwiched with polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) Nanofibers (NFs) interleave composite structures have been investigated for applications of 4D printing such as smart grippers, and smart actuators. Firstly, an electrospinning process was carried out to form a PVDF NFs mat (thickness: 0.10–0.20 mm) under a flow rate of 3 µL/sec, an applied voltage of 12 kV, and a TCD of 100 mm. Further, the PVDF NFs mat was deposited in between the PLA layers, primed through fused filament fabrication (FFF) based 3D printing to manufacture the PLA-PVDF NFs-PLA based structures. In the next stage, the flexural properties were investigated for manufactured composite structures. The results highlight that the flexural strength of the composites was enhanced by 6.47% as compared to PLA. Results of the study are supported by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), V-I, V-R, and shape memory analysis. The finding of the study suggests that composite structures primed by higher mat thickness and zig-zag infill pattern have resulted in higher electrical resistance and better shape memory effect. However, increasing the voltage in the composite structure having higher mat thickness with a zig-zag fill pattern has resulted in a higher resistance drop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]