When it comes to high-performance engineering materials, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) materials have been a popular choice among researchers and engineers. Their exceptional resistance to high temperatures, chemicals and mechanical strength have made them highly prized for use in aerospace, medical, automotive and other applications. However, the widespread use of PEEK has also been accompanied by a continuous search for manufacturing methods to meet different industrial needs.

Over the past few years, 3D printing technology has emerged as a powerful tool for improving the processing of high-performance engineering materials. Fused deposition modeling (FFF), in particular, has opened up entirely new opportunities for the application of PEEK materials. However, achieving optimal performance of FFF-fabricated PEEK materials requires an in-depth study of the relationship between material properties and printing parameters.

The following section explores the potential impact of different FFF printing parameters, such as grating angle, on the properties and structure of PEEK materials in the study. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the performance of PEEK in FFF "smart" manufacturing and to provide more references and guidance for its application in the industrial field. By comprehensively analyzing the synergies between the Apium P220 3D printer and PEEK materials, we can better understand the potential of this field and open up new possibilities for future applications of high-performance engineering materials.

Apium P220 is a FFF device designed for 3D printing of high-performance materials, and the related printing parameters are shown in Table 1.The device can adapt to the high melting point of PEEK and realize precision printing. By optimizing the printing parameters, it is expected to further enhance the performance of PEEK implants and provide new possibilities for future high-performance engineering material applications.

Table 1, Apium P220 FFF printing parameters

                                                                                                   Fig. 1, Schematic diagram of the print path for different grating angles of the stretched sample

Different grating angles affect the surface characteristics of PEEK. Tests found that the FFF printing process made the PEEK surface more hydrophilic and reduced the surface hardness compared to injection molded PEEK 450G, as shown in Figure 5 and the results in Table 2.

                                                                                                        Figure 5. Surface hardness of PEEK parts made from PEEK 450G and FFF.

                                                                                Figure 6: Contact angle and surface energy of PEEK parts made from PEEK 450G and FFF.

In terms of mechanical properties, tensile tests were performed to evaluate the tensile strength of PEEK at different grating angles, and the results are shown in Figure 7.

                                                                                                                         Fig. 7, Stretching behavior at different raster angles

                                                                                              (a) Tensile stress-strain curve; (b) Average tensile strength for different grating angles.

The 0° grating angle samples had the highest tensile strength, reaching 82% of that of the injection-molded PEEK 450 G. SEM observed that all samples exhibited laminar fracture properties, as shown in Figure 8.

                                                                                      Figure 8, SEM picture of the cross-section of the fractured tensile specimen

Detailed analysis shows that the main fracture mechanisms are related to interlayer bonding and internal voids, as shown in Figure 9.