Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed PEEK/HA Composite Filaments

The incorporation of bioactive ceramic into polyether ether ketone (PEEK) was expected to improve the bioinertia and hydrophobicity of pure PEEK, further facilitating osseointegration and bone ingrowth. However, the addition of bioceramic also changes the anisotropy of mechanical properties and failure mechanism of composite. Therefore, three-dimensional printed (3D-printed) PEEK/hydroxyapatite (HA) composite filaments with differing proportions (HA content: 10–30 wt%) were prepared using physical mixture and melting extrusion processes. The tensile elastic modulus and tensile strength of composite filaments were tested experimentally. These microscopic models, with multiple diameter variations and differing dispersity of HA particles, were built to estimate mechanical properties using finite element analysis. Based on a generalized version of Hooke’s Law, the influence of diameter variation and particle clustering on the elastic modulus was evaluated. The mathematical relationship between the elastic modulus and volume fraction of the bioceramic was established using the Halpin–Tsai model. The results showed that with an increase in HA content from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, the elastic modulus of the composite increased from 2.36 GPa to 2.79 GPa, tensile strength decreased from 95 MPa to 74 MPa, and fracture elongation decreased from 63% to 23%, presenting brittle fracture failure. When the dispersion of particles was uniform, the elastic modulus was less affected by diameter variation, but the modulus anisotropic coefficient was greatly affected by the composition ratio, particle diameter, and dispersity. Hence, 3D-printed PEEK/HA composite filaments can meet the strength requirements of human bone, and understanding the influence of mechanical anisotropy plays a very important role in the design, manufacture, and clinical application of medical implants