Any company that is operating in medical 3D printing is well aware of the potential of PEEK for applications in this field, when using FDM 3D printing solutions.
The material is a natural colored, high viscosity polyether ether ketone (PEEK) Filament, which is specially designed for long term implantable medical devices. One company that continuously invests extra miles to develop new forms of PEEK materials is Evonik. The materials producer has added a new osteoconductive PEEK filament to its portfolio of 3D printable biomaterials. The new material comes to strenghten the company’s ambition to advance medical 3D printing applications. In addition to VESTAKEEP® i4 3DF and VESTAKEEP® Care M40 3DF, the portfolio includes the RESOMER® line of bioresorbable filaments, powders and granules for implantable medical devices.
Key specifications of Evonik’s VESTAKEEP® Fusion product line
Named VESTAKEEP® iC4800 3DF, the biomaterial is part of Evonik’s VESTAKEEP® Fusion product line launched in 2020 and is developed under strict quality management for biomaterials. With a diameter of 1.75 mm, it is available in natural color and is wound onto 250 gram or 500 gram spools. It can be processed in common extrusion-based 3D printing technologies such as fused filament fabrication (FFF) and is designed to improve fusion between bone and implants.
The new biomaterial would enhance quality of life due to faster bone healing and by delivering biocompatibility and biostability as well as improved osteoconductive properties.
The company explains in a press release that the osteoconductivity was achieved by using a functional special additive – biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP). The BCP additive allows bone cells to adhere to implants more quickly, thus positively influencing the boundary, so called osteointegration, between the bone and the implant. This, in turn, will accelerate bone fusion and thus patient recovery.
From a manufacturing standpoint, tests conducted so far reveal that the material can be easily processable. Furthermore, the functional additives are available directly on the surface of the 3D printed implant without further post-processing steps – a novelty for osteointegrative PEEK biomaterials, Evonik states in a press release.
“No other application field showcases more the classic advantages of 3D printing, such as individualization or design freedom, than medical technology,” says Marc Knebel, Head of Medical Systems at Evonik. “Since the product launch of the first PEEK filament a good three years ago, we have been expanding the possibilities of modern medical technology in the individual treatment of patients using additive manufacturing by constantly developing new innovative biomaterials.”
Lastly, as far as applications are concerned, it should be noted that Evonik’s 3D printable biomaterials can be used to manufacture medical device parts designed for temporary and permanent body contact.
Evonik will present the new product for the first time at the AAOS trade show in Chicago, USA (March 22-26, 2022).
Remember, you can post job opportunities in the AM Industry on 3D ADEPT Media free of charge or look for a job via our job board. Make sure to follow us on our social networks and subscribe to our weekly newsletter : Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Instagram ! If you want to be featured in the next issue of our digital magazine or if you hear a story that needs to be heard, make sure you send it to contact@3dadept.com