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High performance polyether ether ketone (PEEK) implant materials and devices

Issuing time:2023-10-19 14:31

Project category: Medical implant materials (medical devices)

Project features: In vivo implantation; Not absorbable in the body; Biological safety; Bone fusion

Progress: relatively mature, close to clinical application

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a high-performance engineering plastic with excellent performance, known as the "most promising material of the 21st century" in the engineering community. The medical grade PEEK was first applied in clinical practice abroad in 1999, and over 2 million products have been implanted into the human body. Currently, the global demand for medical grade PEEK is over 200 tons/year.

PEEK has excellent comprehensive properties such as heat resistance, wear resistance, flame retardancy, and biocompatibility. Its main advantages in medical applications include: (1) high strength, mechanical strength, and elastic modulus close to human bone, which can avoid stress shielding effects; (2) Wear resistance; (3) Fatigue resistance; (4) Excellent self-lubricating; (5) Water resistance, high biological stability, and biocompatibility; (6) High temperature resistance, able to withstand 3000 cycles of high-pressure sterilization at 134 ° C, this characteristic can meet the manufacturing requirements of surgical and dental equipment with high sterilization requirements and repeated use. In addition, its creep resistance and hydrolysis resistance make it possible to manufacture various medical devices that require high-temperature steam disinfection. Meanwhile, the thermal conductivity of PEEK is closer to human bone compared to titanium materials; Imagery controllability - degree of development under X-ray; Corrosion resistance; Small specific gravity. In terms of processing methods, it has more advantages than metal and ceramic materials and can be processed using existing molding techniques.

However, the in vivo stability and surface inertness of PEEK are similar to those of titanium metal, with obvious defects such as lack of cell affinity and bone binding, which can easily cause issues such as loosening, displacement, and slippage of the implant. The research group solves this problem by mixing n-HA to prepare n-HA/PEEK composite materials or modifying the device surface through physical, chemical, and biological methods, improving cell affinity and bone bonding strength, making it widely applicable to implants such as spinal, joint, frontal surgery, extracerebral, dental, etc. At the same time, we will develop universal profiles and 3D printable wires and powders, and conduct research on personalized implant devices and medical applications.

The PEEK implant devices under development include:

(1) PEEK nails and fixing plates;

(2) PEEK spinal fusion device;

(3) PEEK artificial intervertebral disc;

(4) PEEK artificial joint;

(5) PEEK skull plate;

(6) PEEK prosthetics and bone fusion segments;

(7) Dental implants.