Wear of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene against Synthetic Sapphire as Bearing Coating for Total Joint Replacements

Authors

Kevin D. Gemmell Jr., University of Rhode Island
D.M.L. Meyer, University of Rhode IslandFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

2018

Abstract

Materials commonly found in hip replacements are a polymer paired with metals or alloys. Tribological behavior of polyethylene bearing surfaces against synthetic sapphire are compared against other bearing combinations to evaluate sapphire as a viable means to lower the incidence of revision surgery by mitigating production of wear debris. Sapphire disks against polyethylene plates were tested utilizing a tribometer. The polyethylene wear rate was found to be 22.6mm³ per year, less than the 40-80mm³ per year typically found in traditional hip replacements. A power law function is presented correlating a decreasing friction coefficient as polyethylene volume loss increases as V^0.88. These results show potential for synthetic sapphire as an alternative bearing surface in joint replacements

Citation/Publisher Attribution

K.D. Gemmell and D.M.L. Meyer. Wear of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene against Synthetic Sapphire as Bearing Coating 7/8 for Total Joint Replacements . Res Dev Material Sci . 6(2). RDMS.000632.2018. DOI: 10.31031/RDMS.2018.06.000632

Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.31031/RDMS.2018.06.000632

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.