The Surface Characterisation of Fused Filament Fabricated (FFF) 3D Printed PEEK/Hydroxyapatite Composites.

ABSTRACT: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a high-performance thermoplastic polymer which has found increasing application in orthopaedics and has shown a lot of promise for 'made-to-measure' implants via additive manufacturing approaches. However, PEEK is bioinert and needs to undergo surface modification to make it at least osteoconductive to ensure a more rapid, improved, and stable fixation that will last longer in vivo. One approach to solving this issue is to modify PEEK with bioactive agents such as hydroxyapatite (HA). The work reported in this study demonstrates the direct 3D printing of PEEK/HA composites of up to 30 weight percent (wt%) HA using a Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) approach. The surface characteristics and in vitro properties of the composite materials were investigated. X-ra

SUBMITTER: Rodzen K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8471434 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature