Innovative Biomechanical Design and Performance of Carbon Fiber-Thermoplastic Implants via Additive Manufacturing

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Author list: Thongsumrit, V.; Chaitaweepakorn, P.; Kolimart, P.; Pingkarawat, K.; Chancharoen, W.; Aimmanee, S.

Publisher: Wiley

Publication year: 2025

Volume number: 113

Issue number: 11

Start page: e35682

ISSN: 1552-4973

eISSN: 1552-4981

URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105020775433&doi=10.1002%2Fjbm.b.35682&partnerID=40&md5=e05f8a40a5f8d4ffb405aa18c7a0f8f7

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

This study explores the potential of 3D-printed carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, specifically Nylon and PEEK, as advanced materials for medical implants. Fabricated using fused filament fabrication (FFF), these implants were evaluated against conventional Ti-6AL-4V titanium alloy counterparts through a combination of experimental analysis and finite element method (FEM) simulations. The novel designs of discontinuous carbon fiber-PEEK and continuous carbon fiber-Nylon composites exhibited enhanced performance, reducing screw pull-out force by nearly 50% relative to Ti-6AL-4V. Furthermore, the thermoplastic composites demonstrated significantly higher bio-elastic coupling strain energy density (SED), indicating superior capacity to promote bone healing and callus formation. A comprehensive multi-criteria evaluation—including metrics on screw loosening, bone remodeling, and resorption—revealed that the 3D-printed composites outperformed titanium by 33%–65%. These results provide design guidelines for FFF 3D-printed composite implants, offering considerable promise as customizable and effective alternatives to conventional metal implants. © 2025 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

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