The function of material selection is required in many sectors, such as medical devices, electronics/semiconductor manufacturing, and many more because materials greatly impact the effectiveness and durability of products. Two common materials in these applications are PEKK (polyether ether ketone) polymers and metals. This article compares PEKK polymers and metals with a focus on factors such as mechanical properties, manufacturing processes, and industrial applications.
There was a way to meet or exceed metal’s performance and complex design innovation, most surgeons would take a long hard look at polymer manufacturing for five major reasons:
- Metal complicates post-operative visualization
- Metal often leads to stress shielding and loosening
- Metal implants can’t be modified by the surgeons in the O.R.
- Some patients may have an allergic response to metal
- Biofilm formation and infection risks increase with using metal
- This leads us to Scott Defelice’s obsession.
Scott DeFelice’s Obsession
Scott DeFelice is CEO and founder of Oxford Performance Materials (OPM), the first company to successfully 3D print using high-performance poly-ether-ketone-ketone (PEKK) material. In 2013, with its cranial prosthesis, OPM became the only firm to receive FDA approval to 3D print polymeric implants before receiving a second 510(k) for patient-specific facial implants in 2014. In addition to being a leader in the medical 3D printing sector, OPM has an Aerospace & Industrial branch where it has been using its proprietary OXPEKK materials technology in space and defense aircraft.
PEKK is at the top of the food chain thermoplastic in the thermoplastic world. It is a high-performance polymer due to its excellent chemical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics and biocompatibility.
We currently hold a wide range of patents and intellectual property, ranging from how PEKK is made synthetically to how it is processed, how to manufacture powders for 3D printing, and how to print using the material.
In terms of 3D printing, our activities started around 10 years ago with the development of a selective laser melting technique to 3D print with PEKK. We launched the first commercial 3D-printed devices around 2006 for the medical field and that was the beginning of 3D printing development.
In 2008, the FDA cleared our first device, which was a cranial implant for patients and distributed worldwide by Zimmer Biomet. We are constantly producing facial and cranial implants.
We moved from there to spinal implants over three years ago, and those products are sold in partnership with an organization named RTI Surgical. We have shipped over 70,000 spinal implants till now.
Most recently, we have received another FDA clearance in a sports medical application for suture anchors which are used to surgically reattach soft tissue to bone.
In parallel, we developed and validated our technology for use in space and defense applications and received certification from Boeing and Northrop Grumman, among others.
OPM is coming at the 3D printing business, not from the perspective of people who were, say, in prototyping and then moved into production parts. We’re coming at it from the perspective of an advanced materials company who found that their material would be very good for additive manufacturing, due to interesting technical reasons.
PEKK in 2024
DeFelice has been achieving significant PEKK achievements since 2006:
- 2006: first machined PEKK spinal cages
- 2010: FDA clears first PEKK tissue marker
- 2012: FDA clears first PEKK craniomaxillofacial device (OsteoFab)
- 2015: The FDA approves the first OsteoFab PEKK VBR, a spinal implant.
- 2016: PEKK Wins Best Technology in Spine Award
- 2017: The FDA approves PEKK spine implants produced using the OsteoFab method.
- 2019: FDA approves PEKK suture anchor for multiple indications
In addition to 3D printing PEKK implants, OPM sells PEKK in powder, pellet, and rod forms.
Based on Product Types the Market is divided into the following categories that held the largest Polyetherketoneketone or PEKK market share In 2024.
- Electrophilic Substitution
- Nucleophilic Substitution
The Global Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) Market Research Report offers a comprehensive review of market conditions over the forecast period with a complete analysis of the leading competitors, including price dynamics, industry trends, and strategic evaluations. It also highlights major industry participants, strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and the latest innovations shaping the market landscape.
According to the latest research, the global Polyetherketoneketone or PEKK market will grow in the next 5 years. As of 2024, the global Polyetherketoneketone or PEKK market was estimated at USD 63.2 million, and it’s projected to reach USD 116.14 million in 2031, with a CAGR of 10.67% during the forecast years.
PEKK replaces metal used in Mercedes-Benz gearbox gears:
High-performance polymers like Polyetheretherketone or PEKK offer many useful opportunities for gear improvement.
Mass balancer gears made up of Vestakeep 5000 G are the first polymer gears that are used in Mercedes-Benz transmissions. It replaces the previously used metal gear.
Plastic gears are gradually replacing metal gears in numerous technical applications because they are lighter, quieter, have good dry-running properties, have low friction and wear, and can be manufactured efficiently. Products made of high-performance plastics such as polyetheretherketone or PEKK are generally more stable mechanically, thermally, and chemically than gears made of engineering plastics and thus enable extended load limit values. An important prerequisite for this is conformity assessment and appropriate component design for the type of plastic.
In 2018, a Competence Centre for Tribology was founded in Darmstadt, Germany, to develop high-performance plastics for the manufacture of components such as PEKK, polyamide 12 (PA12), and polyimide (PI).
Metal: Excessively rigid, powerful, and prone to infection
As OPM’s CEO Scott DeFelice told OTW: “Cobalt and Titanium plating have served the industry for decades for millions of patients, metal structures can be too strong, too stiff, and the endemic formation of biofilm on metal implants significantly raises infection risk.”
“PEKK essentially solves all these problems. It’s mechanically right. It’s biologically right. Bone grows on it. It prohibits infection. There’s very limited bacterial colonization.”
PEKK or Polyetheretherketone Is Kicking Metal to the Curb in Performance Engineering Applications:
In the thermoplastic industry, some materials reign supreme. Among these, PEKK (polyetheretherketone) is king. This polymer has several benefits over traditional metal fabrication.
PEKK or polyetheretherketone has the strength and durability of metal, but at a fraction of the weight and resists chemicals and hydrolysis. It’s these qualities that allow PEKK polymers to replace metals in precision-engineered components.
Conclusion:
From traditional automotive engineering to robotics to drones, the potential users for plastic gears are extremely diverse. High-performance polymers like PEKK expand the use of plastic gears in transmissions to higher torque, speed, and temperature ranges.
PEKK is not a low-cost alternative to metals. However, applications that look for efficiency and performance enhancements can benefit tremendously from using PEKK and not worry that its strength would not be sufficient. Since the replacement of metal with PEKK is a one-time expense in most cases, the consequent savings from the improved efficiency of the system would need to be weighed to get a true measure of the total cost savings.
