Additive Manufacturing of PEEK and Fiber-Reinforced PEEK for NASA Applications and Custom Medical Devices

There is a significant gap between the properties of materials that are produced using current 3D printing processes and the properties that are needed to support critical space systems.nbsp; The main limitation for polymers is the interlayer adhesion between layers in the buildup direction.nbsp; The polyetherimide/polycarbonate (PEI/PC) composite recently demonstrated on the International Space Station is a significant step forward in development for 3D printing in space.nbsp; However, 3D printing with PEI/PC represents the current practical limits of additive manufacturing (AM) in space due to the temperature requirements to produce other higher-performance materials.The Phase I SBIR demonstrated the ability to retrofit a simple commercial AM printer with a high-temperature head and low-power laser diodes to enable printing of carbon fiber reinforced (CFR) PEEK, one of the strongest polymers available, along with other polymer formulations like ABS.nbsp; Increases of up to 240% in tensile strength were demonstrated in the buildup direction using the lasers to provide targeted supplemental heating. nbsp;Power requirements for the full printer system were 600W, compared to 3,600W and higher for commercial printers coming onto the market that can print PEEK.nbsp; In this Phase II SBIR, AMI, an ISO 13485-Certified medical device developer and manufacturer, will further develop, test, and commercialize the CFR PEEK composite feedstock and printer retrofit approach, with improved strength through focused photothermal polymerization. nbsp;Penn State experts on 3D printing, polymer formulation and the effects of thermal history on 3D printed part strength will participate in the project.nbsp; A local company with expertise in compounding PEEK, will collaborate with the team to produce feedstock ready for 3D print with enhanced layer adhesion.nbsp;