Publication Abstract

Effects of Microstructural Inclusions on Fatigue of Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK)

Simsiriwong, J., Shrestha, R., Shamsaei, N., Lugo, M., & Moser, R. (2015). Effects of Microstructural Inclusions on Fatigue of Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK). Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Elsevier. 51, 388-397. DOI:10.1016/j.jmbbm.2015.07.020.

Abstract

In this study, the microstructural inclusion influence on fatigue life of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) was investigated. Due to the versatility of its material properties, a semi-crystralline PEEK polymer has been increasingly adapted in a wide range of applications particularly as a biomaterial for orthopedic, trauma, and spinal implants. To obtain the cyclic behavior of PEEK, macroscopic strain-life experiments under uniaxial loading condition were conducted at strain amplitudes ranging from 0.02 mm/mm to 0.04 mm/mm and at ambient temperature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was performed on fatigue specimens to examine crack incubation sites and microstructural inclusions responsible for fatigue cracks. Other microstructural inclusion properties including inclusion type (pore or particle), inclusion size, and nearest neighbor distance of inclusions were obtained. Based on the experimental results, a microstructure-sensitive fatigue model was employed to predict the fatigue life of PEEK that involves both incubation and growth of a small crack regimes. Results show that the MSF model is applicable to capture microstructural effects on fatigue of PEEK.