A Biologically Degradable and Bioseniatic Feedstock for the High-Quality 3D Printing of Medical Illustrations

A Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) -based filament was evaluated as an alternative feedstock for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) of instructional and clinical medical specimens. PHBHHx-based prints of domestic cat vertebra, skull bone, and an aortic arch cast were found comparable to conventional materials. PHBHHx-based filament and extrudate samples were evaluated for biological degradability, to meet the BioseniaticTM standard defined by the University of Georgia’s New Materials Institute. Both samples achieved more than 90% mineralization within 32 days in industrial composting conditions.