A miniature specimen mechanical testing technique scaled to articulating surface of polyethylene components for total joint arthroplasty.

The small punch test was developed to investigate the mechanical behavior of polyethylene using miniature specimens (< 14 mg) measuring 0.5 mm in thickness and 6.4 mm in diameter. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility and reproducibility of the small punch test when applied to clinically relevant polyethylenes. Mechanical behavior was characterized during 66 tests performed on GUR4150HP and GUR4120 specimens following alternate sterilization methods and 4 weeks of accelerated aging at 80 degrees C. The small punch test was found to be highly reproducible with regard to characterizing the ductility, ultimate strength, and fracture resistance of sterilized and aged polyethylene. In the future, the small punch test can be used to directly measure mechanical properties near the articulating surface of retrieved components.

[1]  C. Jewett,et al.  Validation of a small punch testing technique to characterize the mechanical behaviour of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene. , 1997, Biomaterials.

[2]  D. Bartel,et al.  Degradation rate of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene , 1997, Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society.

[3]  R. D. Paxson,et al.  Effects of Sterilization on Wear in Total Knee Arthroplasty , 1996, Clinical orthopaedics and related research.

[4]  M. Ries,et al.  Safety and Efficacy of Ethylene Oxide Sterilized Polyethylene in Total Knee Arthroplasty , 1996, Clinical orthopaedics and related research.

[5]  W H Harris,et al.  Gamma sterilization of UHMWPE articular implants: an analysis of the oxidation problem. Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly Ethylene. , 1996, Biomaterials.

[6]  K. Saum,et al.  Impact of gamma sterilization on clinical performance of polyethylene in the knee. , 1996, The Journal of arthroplasty.

[7]  S. D. Bruck,et al.  Radiation sterilization of polymeric implant materials. , 1988, Journal of biomedical materials research.

[8]  Shinichi Takahashi,et al.  Relationship between distribution of substituents and water solubility of O‐methyl cellulose , 1987 .

[9]  B. Wunderlich,et al.  Heat of fusion of polyethylene , 1967 .

[10]  G. Camino,et al.  Unacceptable biodegradation of polyethylene in vivo. , 1996, Biomaterials.

[11]  T. K. Parnell,et al.  Fracture Toughness by Small Punch Testing , 1995 .