Investigation of deformation behavior in tensile drawing and its effect on mechanical properties of tricalcium phosphate/poly(lactic acid) composite plates

A bioabsorbable composite made of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP) has attracted attention as a material for bone fixation devices. This study focused on tensile drawing as a molding method to enhance the mechanical properties of the TCP/PLA composite. The composite was tested under high-temperature conditions to investigate the deformation behavior during tensile drawing. The results indicated that there is an optimal drawing temperature at which the deformation ratio of the TCP/PLA composite plate is maximized. Subsequently, the mechanical properties and matrix structure of the drawn TCP/PLA plates were examined using tensile testing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The findings revealed that the strength of the TCP/PLA composite increased owing to molecular orientation during drawing. Additionally, the improvement in strength with increased TCP content may be attributed to the high elastic modulus of TCP, which causes significant deformation of PLA and enhances molecular orientation.