Research project: 3D printing of PEEK and HA/beta-TCP tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds

Invibio is the market leader in providing PEEK-based biomaterial solutions to medical device manufacturers around the world.  The aim of the project is to design and set up a device process suitable for extrusion freeform fabrication of PEEK and  HA/beta-TCP tissue engineering scaffold for health care application, to investigate the effect of process parameters on microstructure and biocompatibility of the scaffold, and to characterize the scaffold and composite using X-CT, TGA, DSC and SEM.

Project objectives:

1. To design and set up a device suitable for high temperature extrusion of PEEK
2. To fabricate beta TCP (and/or HA, bioglass) tissue engineering scaffolds using the powder extrusion with pores of circa 600-1000 microns.
3. To overmould the scaffolds or cover with powder/melt to creat a PEEK shape with an internal interconnected network.
4. To investigate the effect of process parameters on microstructure and biocompatibility of PEEK scaffolds, to characterize the PEEK scaffold and ceramic/PEEK composite using X-CT, TGA, DSC and SEM, to investigate the in vitro performance of the fabricated scaffolds