Functionally graded polymer knee implant for enhanced fixation, wear resistance, and mechanical properties and the fabrication thereof

A method for preparing a polymeric-based knee implant, comprising:

• an articulating surface, and a bone/implant interface;
• wherein the bone/implant interface is porous having gradient pores which is a mix of small pores within a range of 0.35 mm to 0.5 mm and large pores having an average of 0.55 mm to 2 mm;
• and
• wherein the implant has a polymeric material consisting of a polymeric species polyaryletherketone (PAEK) species selected from the group consisting of PEEK (polyetheretherketone), PEKK (polyetherketoneketone), or a PEKEKK (polyetherketoneetherketoneketone),
• wherein the porous bone/implant interface comprises a bioactive additive,
• wherein the bioactive additive is a calcium phosphate derivative,
• wherein the calcium phosphate derivative is biphasic calcium phosphate, and
• wherein the biphasic calcium phosphate is contained in the polymeric material,
• by additive manufacturing after blending the bioinert polymer with the bioactive additive to form a blended material.