M Vaezi - PhD student, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, SO۱۷ ۱BJ, UK
S Yang - Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, SO۱۷ ۱BJ, UK

Polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) is an excellent thermoplastic alternative for metal biomaterials which is used for load-bearing applications due to its great strength and stiffness, excellent thermal stability, and biocompatibility with fibroblasts and osteoblasts in vitro with no cytotoxic effects. However, a potential clinical concern is that PEEK alone is not bioactive enough, and thus has limited fixation with bone. Bioactive materials like calcium phosphates are incorporated into PEEK to improve the bone–implant interface (bone apposition). In this research work, new techniques based on in-house develope extrusion freeforming, a type of additive manufacturing (AM) processes, and dry powder printing technologies were developed for fabrication of bioactive PEEK-based composites with computer-controlled 3D interconnected bioactive network within PEEK matrix. This enables implant designers to tailor both biological and mechanical properties of the PEEK-based composite by precisely varying bioactive phase content within the biocomposite.

additive manufacturing (AM), 3D printing, dry powder printing, PEEK-based composites