Influence of bioactive metal fillers on microstructural homogeneity of PA12 composites produced by polymer Laser Sintering

In this paper, polyamide 12 (PA12) blends with three types of metallic fillers are tested, which differ in the type of material and its’ morphology. Low content mixtures are taken into consideration (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 wt%), since a low impact on mechanical properties along with obtaining antibacterial properties are desired. The investigation focuses on filler distribution as well as the influence on microstructural homogeneity of the base material after processing with polymer Laser Sintering. Moreover, the influence of the filler content on the mechanical properties and fracture behaviour were examined. Processability PA12 with bioactive metal fillers was confirmed, and no significant changes in ductile behaviour of PA 12 were observed. An in-depth analysis of the effect of the filler on microstructural homogeneity was conducted. Graphical abstract