Biocompatible Sulphonated PEEK Spheres: Influence of Processing Conditions on Morphology and Swelling Behavior.

This work aimed to develop and evaluate the influence of processing variables on the morphology and swelling of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) spheres for possible applications as a biomaterial. We used the drip method to obtain spheres with the polymer starting solutions SPEEK-6 (/: 6%) and SPEEK-10 (/: 10%), drip rates (20 and 30 mL/h), and drip heights (5 and 10 cm) in experimental planning. The samples were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), optical microscopy (OM), the absorption capacity of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) by swelling (%), and statistical analysis of data through Design of Experiments (DOE).