Abstract
The wear behaviour of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) sliding against metal counterfaces of Ti6Al4V alloy prepared in three different ways, AISI 316L stainless steel and Vitallium was investigated using an annulus-on-disc oscillating tribometer. No wear was found for the metal substrates, while polyethylene was worn at rates depending on its adhesion to the metal component. The behaviour of the UHMWPE-Ti6Al4V couple was improved considerably by suitable low and room temperature surface treatments of the metal component, namely nitrogen ion implantation and a special lapping technique. The tribometer and the test procedure proved to be a reliable source of data useful for screening, under simulative test conditions, the tribological behaviour of candidate UHMWPE-metal couples for hip joint prostheses.
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