Investigation into the microstructure and properties of polyetheretherketone surfaces treated by ultrasonic vibration-assisted UV laser processing

To enhance the osseointegration capability of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), this study proposes a TUV-LSM method to improve its surface wettability. A two-dimensional transient coupled multiphysics model was developed to elucidate the transient thermophysical evolution and material removal mechanisms under the TUV-LSM mode.The effects of distinct laser processing modes on surface topography, chemical structure, and wettability were systematically evaluated. Experiments demonstrate that fabricating dot -matrix microtextures with a 100 μm line spacing under optimal parameters reduces the static water contact angle of PEEK to 42.8°. XPS characterization confirmed that the TUV-LSM approach not only increases the aspect ratio of the dot-matrix microtextures but also induces intense interfacial convection. This convection significantly accelerates the cleavage of PEEK macromolecular chains and secondary oxidation, resulting in a substantial enrichment of polar oxygen-containing functional groups. By elucidating the intrinsic mechanisms governing how surface topography and polar chemical components synergistically enhance wettability, this work offers a highly efficient modification strategy for optimizing PEEK surface properties.