@inproceedings{db41102cf6d84720a8d67ea222fa0873,
title = "Bulk Modification of Poly(lactic Acid) by CO2 Laser Radiations",
abstract = "Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a bioresorbable aliphatic polyester. It has varying rates of degradation influenced by factors including its percentage of crystallinity (χ) and glass transition temperature (Tg). In order to improve its bioresorbability for medical applications modification of the polymer is required. Many approaches are considered in the literature including bulk modification. The aim of the present study is to assess the efficacy of CO2 laser modification by characterising PLA material before and after laser treatment. Extruded PLA sheets were used for laser trials. A Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology was used to set various combinations of levels for laser power and scanning speed. It was found that CO2 laser processing of PLA induces bulk property changes. The increase in laser interaction with the polymer led to a decrease in the percentage crystallinity (χ). This trend was observed from the first heat scan of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). For both the first and second heat scan, ANOVA revealed that there was a statistical significance of scanning speed on the crystallisation temperature (Tc) and χ. There were some permanent changes in the polymer matrix due to laser treatment. XRD analysis evidinced similar behaviour. By controlling χ, one can control the bioresorption of the polymer. The percentage contribution of surface layers of the polymer to bulk property modification needs further investigation.",
keywords = "CO2 laser, bioresorbable, design of experiment, percentage crystallinity, scanning speed",
author = "Foram Dave and Konrad Mulrennan and Richard Sherlock and David Tormey",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved.; 17th International Conference on Manufacturing Research, ICMR 2019, incorporating the 34th National Conference on Manufacturing Research, NCMR 2019 ; Conference date: 10-09-2019 Through 12-09-2019",
year = "2019",
month = aug,
day = "19",
doi = "10.3233/ATDE190065",
language = "English",
series = "Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering",
publisher = "IOS Press BV",
pages = "370--375",
editor = "Yan Jin and Mark Price",
booktitle = "Advances in Manufacturing Technology XXXIII - Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Manufacturing Research, incorporating the 34th National Conference on Manufacturing Research",
}