Methodology and Subsequent Analysis of Polymer Filament Production from PEEK Material With a Ceramic Admixture

Abstract

: The aim of the presented article is to describe the process of filaments production from the material of pure PEEK as well as from PEEK mixed with the ceramic component HA and TCP and subsequently its analysis. The analysis of the filament consisted in the analysis of the diameter of the produced filament, the distribution of the ceramic component in the produced filament, as well as the biological test of cytotoxicity after the extrusion process. In the analysis of the filament diameter, descriptive statistics were used to detect the thickness of the entire filament produced. Electron microscopy using SM and SEM modes was used to analyse the distribution of the ceramic component in the produced filament. The cytotoxicity biological assay was performed using the L929 cell line according to ISO 1099-5. The results of the filament diameter analysis show average values of pure PEEK of 1.7501 ± 0.032 mm and for PEEK with a ceramic component of 1.7503 ± 0.041 mm. Analysis of the distribution of the ceramic component showed irregular filler particles with a size of 1 to 2 μm in the produced filament. EDX analysis showed a distribution of calcium and silicon in the filament. The cytotoxicity assay showed higher values from the reference value using 100% and 75% extraction. From the presented analyses of the produced filament, it can be stated that the diameter of the filament meets the required quality for the 3D printing process. In terms of ceramic component distribution analysis, smaller clumps were detected but these clumps were evenly distributed in all samples. The cytotoxicity test showed that the extrusion process did not affect the cytotoxicity of the produced filament.