3D-Printed Sulfonated Polyetheretherketone Porous Scaffold Modified by Bioactive Glass for Bone Repair

The bioinert characteristics of the polyetheretherketone (PEEK) matrix determine that the PEEK scaffolds cannot display bioactivity in bone regeneration. Scaffolds that combine the excellent mechanical strength of PEEK with the bioactivity of bioactive glass (BAG) are highly desirable for orthopedic applications. In this study, the porous structure of a PEEK scaffold was designed and fabricated via the fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing method. The BAG was used as a coating material to cover the surface of sulfonated PEEK (SPEEK) via a novel chemical liquid deposition (CLD) method. The modified scaffold with a pore structure and rough surface promoted the mineralization on the scaffold. Additionally, the scaffold showed outstanding cytocompatibility and osteoactivity. Moreover, a bone defect repair study in rabbits revealed that the new bone tissues grew into the scaffold from the margin toward the center. The bone defect region was completely connected to the host bone end after 4 weeks of implantation. In summary, the SPEEK-BAG scaffold has promising potential for bone repair applications.