In vitro biocompatibility of polyetheretherketone and polysulfone composites

Short carbon fiber reinforced composites could potentially replace some of the metal alloys used in orthopedic implants. In particular, polysulfone and, more recently, polyetheretherketone have been considered as the matrix material for carbon fiber reinforced composite implant materials. ASTM standards F813 and F619 for direct contact cell culture evaluation and extraction were employed to determine the in vitro biocompatibility of a carbon fiber composite of polyetheretherketone, PEEK, in comparison to a carbon fiber reinforced polysulfone composite. The cell cultures were assessed qualitatively by microscopy and quantitatively using an enzyme assay to determine cytotoxicity. Overall, the cellular response to the PEEK and polysulfone composites were negligible indicating that further in vivo studies with these materials are appropriate.