Evaluation of wear suppression for phospholipid polymer-grafted ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene at concentrated contact

Abstract

The wear resistance of cross-linked polyethylene grafted with poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC-grafted CLPE) and unmodified CLPE loaded by an alumina roller were evaluated in a simulated synovial fluid (0.5wt% hyaluronate solution containing 30vol% fetal bovine serum). To evaluate the wear depth distribution within the wear scar, we compared the projected area of wear and non-wear for indents on polyethylene surfaces produced by a triangular pyramidal indenter and estimated the local wear depths on the basis of the changes in the projected area. The worn depth of PMPC-grafted CLPE was almost a third lower than that on CLPE.