The Effect of Disinfectants Absorption and Medical Decontamination on the Mechanical Performance of 3D-Printed ABS Parts.

Producing parts by 3D printing based on the material extrusion process determines the formation of air gaps within layers even at full infill density, while external pores can appear between adjacent layers making prints permeable. For the 3D-printed medical devices, this open porosity leads to the infiltration of disinfectant solutions and body fluids, which might pose safety issues. In this context, this research purpose is threefold. It investigates which 3D printing parameter settings are able to block or reduce permeation, and it experimentally analyzes if the disinfectants and the medical decontamination procedure degrade the mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts. Then, it studies acetone surface treatment as a solution to avoid disinfectants infiltration. The absorption tests results indicate the necessity of applying post-processing operations for the reusable 3D-printed medical devices as no manufacturing settings can ensure enough protection against fluid intake. However, some parameter settings were proven to enhance the sealing, in this sense the layer thickness being the most important factor. The experimental outcomes also show a decrease in the mechanical performance of 3D-printed ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) instruments treated by acetone cold vapors and then medical decontaminated (disinfected, cleaned, and sterilized by hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization) in comparison to the control prints. These results should be acknowledged when designing and 3D printing medical instruments.