A Novel Surface Nanocomposite of Carbon Nanotube/Poly Ether Ether Ketone Fabrication via Friction Stir Processing for Orthopedic and Dental Application

There is increasing interest in the use of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) for orthopedic and dental implant applications due to its elastic modulus close to that of bone, biocompatibility and its radiolucent properties; however, PEEK is still categorized as bioinert due to its low integration with surrounding tissues. Carbon nanotube (CNT) is one of the additives which have been used for enhancement of bioactivity of orthopedic and dental implant. Friction stir processing (FSP) is a solid-state processing method which is using for surface modification and fabrication of surface composite. In this study, pin-less tool was used to fabricate CNT/PEEK surface nanocomposite. Scanning Electron Microscope images of the modified surface confirmed homogenous distribution of the CNT at the surface of the nanocomposite. The finish surface of CNT/PEEK surface nanocomposite revealed higher hydrophilicity in comparison with the bare PEEK that made it appropriate for biomedical application. This method of surface modification due to its simplicity and low temperature during the deposition did not damage the PEEK substrate and could be a good alternative for existing commercial methods for PEEK surface modification.

Keywords:

PEEK , CNT , FSP , Surface nanocomposite , Pinless tool , Bioactivity.