Hydroxyapatite/polyetheretherketone nanocomposites for selective laser sintering: Thermal and mechanical performances

Abstract

In this article, the thermal and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite (HA)/polyetheretherketone (PEEK) nanocomposites were investigated. The surface of the HA particles was modified by stearic acid. Subsequently, the modified HA and PEEK were ultrasonically dispersed in ethanol and then subjected to drying and ball milling treatments. By controlling the concentration of modified HA, HA/PEEK nanocomposite powders containing various amounts of modified HA were successfully prepared. The tensile strength, impact strength, and flexural strength of the nanocomposite reached maximum values at 2.5 wt% HA and were 18.5%, 38.2%, and 5.7% higher than those of the pure PEEK, respectively. Moreover, the flexural modulus of the HA/PEEK nanocomposites increased at 2.5 wt% HA and was approximately 30% higher than that of the pure PEEK. The thermal property measurements (differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis) showed that the nanocomposites with 2.5 wt%-modified HA exhibited enhanced thermal stability as compared to the pure PEEK, showing potential for selective laser sintering.