Carbon-Fiber Reinforced PEEK filament for Long-Term 3D Printed Medical Implants

Evonik has developed two variations of a carbon-fiber reinforced PEEK filament for use in 3D printed medical implants. This smart biomaterial can be processed in common extrusion-based 3D printing technologies such as fused filament fabrication (FFF) and fused deposition modeling (FDM).

The VESTAKEEP iC4612 3DF and VESTAKEEP iC4620 3DF materials are the two available filaments featuring 12% and 20% carbon fiber content, respectively. The two grades offer a choice of material depending on the required strength and flex properties of 3D printed implants such as bone plates and other reconstructive prostheses.

The two materials offer a variety benefits, including strength from the high carbon-fiber content, matched with the ductility of its PEEK component. Additional benefits include the ability to define the alignment of the carbon fibers during the 3D printing process, high biocompatibility for metal allergy-patients, and no X-rays artifacts.

“By introducing the world’s first carbon-fiber reinforced PEEK filament for long-term medical implants, we continue to design biomaterials that open up new possibilities in today’s medical technology for patient-specific treatment,” says Marc Knebel, head of Medical Systems at Evonik. “As passionate experts with decades of experience in polymer chemistry, we combine a unique set of competencies in materials science, manufacturing technologies and regulatory expertise to customers to accelerate time-to-market of new medical technologies for people's lives beyond limits.”

With a diameter of 1.75 mm, VESTAKEEP iC4612 3DF and VESTAKEEP iC4620 3DF are supplied on 500-g and 1,000-g spools that can be used directly in standard FFF/FDM 3D printers for PEEK materials. The filament is subjected to strict quality management for medical materials.

“No other application field showcases more the advantages of 3D printing, such as individualization or design freedom, than medical technology,” says Knebel. “In trauma applications, for instance, 3D printed solutions offer an enormous time advantage over traditionally manufactured medical devices. It is conceivable that patient-specific solutions can be manufactured within two or three days, significantly improving the recovery phase.”

Over the last five years, Evonik has been gradually developing new PEEK-based filaments for medical 3D printing applications. The current portfolio includes different grades for long-term and short-term body contact applications:

Long-term body contact applications:

• VESTAKEEP i4 3DF - Implant grade (long-term)
• VESTAKEEP i4 3DF-T - Test and development grade
• VESTAKEEP iC4800 3DF - Osteoconductive implant grade
• VESTAKEEP iC4612 3DF – Carbon-fiber reinforced (12%) implant grade
• VESTAKEEP iC4620 3DF – Carbon-fiber reinforced (20%) implant grade
   

Short-term body contact applications:

• VESTAKEEP Care M40 3DF - Medical care grade

 

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