Biotribological behaviour of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene composites containing Ti in a hip joint simulator

Abstract The wear of ultra high-molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been implicated as the major cause of osteolysis, implant loosening, and late aseptic failure in total hip arthroplasties in vivo, so increasing its wear resistance will be beneficial to obtain high-quality artificial joints. In this paper, the artificial joint acetabular materials of UHMWPE composites reinforced with titanium powders were prepared by the hot pressing formation method. A hip joint wear simulator was run to investigate the biotribological behaviours of these composites against 316L stainless steel in simulated body fluids (SBF-9) lubrication at 35 ± 1°C. The experimental results indicate that the addition of titanium particles in UHMWPE is beneficial for increasing wear resistance of UHMWPE. Under SBF-9 lubrication, the addition of titanium particles into UHMWPE has effect to decrease the wear rates of UHMWPE/Ti composites cups against 316L steel ball heads. The Maximum reduction in wear rates is 50 per cent for the UHMWPE/Ti composite cups with 20 (W) content of titanium particles. Abrasive wear and fatigue wear are found to be the main wear mechanisms of UHMWPE or UHMWPE/Ti composites in hip joint simulator wear under SBF-9 lubrication. The addition of titanium particles in UHMWPE will increase the wear debris size when the content of titanium particles is over 12 wt%.

[1]  Jiansong Zhou,et al.  Improvement of the tribological behavior of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene by incorporation of poly (phenyl p-hydroxyzoate) , 2005 .

[2]  Y. Leng,et al.  Processing of hydroxyapatite reinforced ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene for biomedical applications. , 2005, Biomaterials.

[3]  Soumya Nag,et al.  Microstructural evolution and strengthening mechanisms in Ti–Nb–Zr–Ta, Ti–Mo–Zr–Fe and Ti–15Mo biocompatible alloys , 2005 .

[4]  Yunhai Ma,et al.  Effects of the wollastonite fiber modification on the sliding wear behavior of the UHMWPE composites , 2003 .

[5]  S. Goodman,et al.  Local infusion of FGF-2 enhances bone ingrowth in rabbit chambers in the presence of polyethylene particles. , 2003, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[6]  R. L. Reis,et al.  Coupling of HDPE/hydroxyapatite composites by silane-based methodologies , 2003, Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine.

[7]  C P Tsui,et al.  Wear performance of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene/quartz composites. , 2003, Biomaterials.

[8]  S. Pal,et al.  Characterization of silane coated hollow sphere alumina-reinforced ultra high molecular weight polyethylene composite as a possible bone substitute material , 2002 .

[9]  Paul D. Bloom,et al.  Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal/ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene composites as biomaterials for acetabular cup prosthetics. , 2002, Biomaterials.

[10]  W. Bonfield,et al.  Effect of polymer matrix on the rheology of hydroxyapatite-filled polyethylene composites , 2002 .

[11]  R. Domingues,et al.  Microstructural and mechanical study of zirconia-hydroxyapatite (ZH) composite ceramics for biomedical applications , 2001 .

[12]  N. Chand,et al.  Sliding wear of PP/UHMWPE blends: effect of blend composition , 2001 .

[13]  C. Rimnac,et al.  Cyclic steady state stress-strain behavior of UHMW polyethylene. , 2000, Biomaterials.

[14]  H. Rubash,et al.  The John Charnley Award. Inhibition of wear debris mediated osteolysis in a canine total hip arthroplasty model. , 1997, Clinical orthopaedics and related research.

[15]  M J Pearcy,et al.  The role of polyethylene wear in joint replacement failure , 1997, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part H, Journal of engineering in medicine.

[16]  M. Freeman,et al.  The size and shape of particulate polyethylene wear debris in total joint replacements , 1997, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part H, Journal of engineering in medicine.

[17]  Duncan Dowson,et al.  A comparative study of the performance of metallic and ceramic femoral head components in total replacement hip joints , 1995 .

[18]  A Sarmiento,et al.  The origin of submicron polyethylene wear debris in total hip arthroplasty. , 1995, Clinical orthopaedics and related research.

[19]  P. Campbell,et al.  Isolation of predominantly submicron-sized UHMWPE wear particles from periprosthetic tissues. , 1995, Journal of biomedical materials research.

[20]  R. R. Cooper.  Statement by the Board of Trustees of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery , 1994 .

[21]  J O Galante,et al.  Composition and morphology of wear debris in failed uncemented total hip replacement. , 1994, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume.