Dissolution of fluconazole from 3D-printed prolonged-release tablets: a quantitative evaluation.

Highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) infused with vitamin E was introduced at the beginning of the 21st century. Vitamin E removes free radicals arising during gamma irradiation in order to cross-link the polyethylene. Removing free radicals was hypothesized to preserve mechanical properties and wear behaviour of the polyethylene in vivo. Excellent polyethylene wear behaviour of other HXLPEs has encouraged surgeons to use larger heads in total hip arthroplasty (THA) to address prosthesis dislocation. It is still unclear whether polyethylene wear remains low in the long term when using larger femoral heads. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term polyethylene wear in uncemented THA with vitamin E-infused HXLPE liners with 32 or 36 mm ceramic femoral heads. A total of 50 hips allocated to uncemented THA were included in this prospective randomized controlled trial from January 2009 to February 2010. They were randomized to either 32 or 36 mm Biolox Delta ceramic heads. The primary outcome was polyethylene wear measured with markerless radiostereometric analysis. The secondary outcome was patient-reported outcome measures measured by Harris Hip Score, Oxford Hip Score, and University of California, Los Angeles activity scale. At final follow-up (14 years), 32 hips were available for analysis (32 mm, n = 17; 36 mm, n = 15), and 18 hips had been lost to follow-up or were excluded: two hips due to infection, and one hip due to periprosthetic fracture. These three revised hips were excluded due to removal and/or change of prosthesis components. Mean polyethylene wear in the proximal direction was 0.10 mm (95% CI 0.05 to 0.16) and 0.01 mm (95% CI -0.06 to 0.07) for 32 and 36 mm femoral heads, respectively (p = 0.022). After the 'bedding-in' period wear was 0.04 mm (95% CI -0.02 to 0.11) and 0.02 mm (95% CI -0.06 to 0.10) for 32 and 36 mm, respectively (p = 0.628). Polyethylene wear was extremely low for vitamin E-infused HXLPE with 36 mm ceramic femoral heads at 14 years of follow-up. There was no difference in wear between 32 and 36 mm heads after the 'bedding-in' period. The clinical outcome was excellent. Biolox Delta ceramic heads on vitamin E-infused HXLPE seem to be a safe option for 36 mm heads.

In the field of multiphase polymer interface science, electrical tree damage remains a critical scientific challenge for maintaining insulation reliability. However, the limited spatial resolution of existing characterization techniques has impeded in situ 3D visualization of interfacial electrical trees, significantly restricting mechanistic investigations into their evolution. This study reports the observation of autofluorescence in non-fluorescent polymers, such as cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and silicone rubber (SIR), specifically localized within electrical tree damage zones. Confocal scanning microscopy enabled 3D imaging with nanoscale resolution without exogenous fluorescent probes, and successfully monitored the real-time morphology of electrical trees. Electrothermal coupling induces polymer chain scission, resulting in the formation of π-π* conjugated structures in XLPE and cyclic siloxane oligomers in SIR. These molecular alterations markedly reduced the energy gaps of frontier molecular orbitals (ΔE), decreasing by 4.4-4.61eV in XLPE and 1.84-2.56eV in SIR, thereby enhancing autofluorescence intensity via radiative transitions. Notably, interfacial confinement effects restricted XLPE chains into compact conformations, forming an insulating barrier that inhibited vertical penetration of electrical trees while promoting lateral expansion along the interface. This method uniquely integrates 3D visualization and non-destructive evaluation capabilities, establishing a versatile platform for investigating interfacial failure mechanisms in multiphase insulation systems.

Homogeneous radiation crosslinking of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene in molten state

Condition Monitoring and Life Prediction of Low-Voltage Electrical Power Cable Having Cross-Linked Polyethylene Insulation

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) has been widely used in high-voltage cables due to its superior properties, but its thermoset cross-linked structure makes it difficult to recycle. Catalytic pyrolysis offers a feasible pathway for converting XLPE into high-value chemicals. In this study, a systematic study on the catalytic cracking of XLPE using metal ion-loaded ZSM-5 nanosheets was conducted, and ZSM-5 nanosheets loaded with Ag, Mo, Ni, and Ce were prepared via ion exchange. After metal loading, ZSM-5 retained the MFI framework structure, but the specific surface area and mesopore volume varied depending on the type of metal. Temperature-Programmed Desorption of Ammonia results indicated that metal–support interactions enhanced the acidity of ZSM-5. Among the catalysts, Ag-loaded ZSM-5 exhibited the highest efficiency: with 10 wt% Ag, at 380 °C, the conversion reached 94.1%, with 52.5% light olefins in the gas phase and 59.4% benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) in the liquid products. Further studies on different Ag loadings revealed that moderate Ag loading (5 wt%) provided the best overall balance, maintaining 92.3% conversion, 56.1% selectivity to light olefins, and 58.2% BTX in the liquid fraction. These findings demonstrate that tuning the metal loading effectively optimizes the acidity and pore structure of ZSM-5, thereby enabling controlled regulation of XLPE pyrolysis product distribution.

Theoretical investigation of noble metal (Rh- and Pd-) doped Janus ZrSSe monolayer application for XLPE decomposition gas detection.

Dynamically cross-linked polyethylene vitrimers: An alternative approach to high-performance high-voltage cable insulation

BACKGROUNDTotal hip arthroplasty is a safe and effective procedure. To improve survivorship, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene hip liners with antioxidants have been developed. Additive antioxidant was deployed to reduce oxidation and consequential wear, loosening, or osteolysis. A unique manufacturing process was utilized for two such hip liners, the Novation® and Alteon® XLE hip liners and this research represents the first large series on this specific material. The study hypothesis was that Novation and Alteon XLE hip liners have similar short-term survivorship as other manufacturers’ antioxidant liners according to procedure and outcome data from the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR).AIMTo demonstrate similar short-term survivorship of XLE antioxidant hip liners compared to all antioxidant hip liners in AJRR.METHODSUtilizing total hip arthroplasty data from the AJRR, a retrospective review was performed for subjects who underwent implantation of Novation XLE (n = 461), Alteon XLE (n = 989), or any other antioxidant hip liner (termed the aggregate antioxidant group; n = 39964) as of March 31, 2022. Survivorship at three years and revision rates were compared statistically between the Novation group and the aggregate antioxidant group as well as the Alteon group and the aggregate antioxidant group.RESULTSSurvivorship at three years post-surgery was 99.09% for Novation, 97.73% for Alteon, and 97.69% for the aggregate antioxidant group. There were no reports of failure due to wear in either the Novation or Alteon groups. Among the revision categories (fracture, infection, aseptic loosening, instability, mechanical complications, wear, pain, hematoma/wound complications, or other), there were no significant differences identified in either comparison. There were also no significant differences in cumulative percent revision rates up to three years post-surgery for the Novation vs aggregate antioxidant group or the Alteon vs aggregate antioxidant group.CONCLUSIONNovation and Alteon XLE hip liner revision rate and survivorship are equivalent to other antioxidant hip liners in the short term.

When the outer sheath of submarine cables is damaged, the degradation of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation by anions in seawater becomes a critical factor affecting cable service life. This study investigates 500 kV three-core XLPE insulation and systematically reveals the differential and synergistic degradation mechanisms of major seawater anions (Cl−, SO42−, HCO3−). Accelerated aging tests at 90 °C were conducted using solution systems simulating both single-ion and composite environments, combined with electrical performance evaluation, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results show that seawater causes significantly greater deterioration of resistivity, breakdown strength, and molecular structure than any single-ion solution. Mechanistic analysis demonstrates that Cl− induces nucleophilic substitution, SO42− promotes oxidative chain scission, and HCO3− facilitates hydrolysis via pH regulation, while their coexistence produces nonlinear synergistic effects through oxidative reactions, electrochemical coupling, and ion transport. This work provides the first systematic comparison of individual and combined anion effects on XLPE, offering new mechanistic insights and quantitative evidence for understanding multi-ion degradation, with implications for insulation material design, protective strategies, and service life prediction of submarine cables.

The new Tri-Lock bone -preserving stem with a collarless proximal-coated tapered-wedge design was compared with a classic well-proven collarless proximal-coated long and round-tapered design. Our primary aim was to compare femoral stem fixation (subsidence) of the Tri-Lock stem with the classic Summit stem, and secondarily to compare the change in periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) and PROMS between stem groups. In a patient-blinded randomized controlled trial, 52 patients at mean age 60 (SD 6) received cementless Tri-Lock (n = 26) or Summit (n = 26) femoral stems with a cementless Pinnacle cup, a cross-linked polyethylene liner, and a CoCr head. Patients were followed for 5 years with radiostereometric analysis (RSA), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). We measured mean (CI) values of migration and periprosthetic bone mineral density and calculated between group differences. At 2-year follow-up, the mean difference in subsidence was 0.14 mm (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.27 to 0.56) and below the chosen minimal clinically important difference of 0.6 mm. At 5-year follow-up, for the Tri-Lock and Summit stems, the mean subsidence was 0.38 (CI 0.04-0.72) and 0.24 (CI 0.09-0.57), and the mean retroversion was 1.68° (CI 0.80-2.55) and 1.53° (CI 0.68-2.37), respectively. There was initial periprosthetic BMD loss for both stems. At 5-year follow-up, the mean metaphyseal bone loss was minimal for the Tri-Lock stem (zone 1: -2.8% vs -11.5%) while the Summit stem preserved the medial diaphyseal bone better (zone 6: -7.1% vs -13.6%). At the medial stem tip, BMD was increased with the Summit stem (zone 5: +3.4% vs -1.5%). At 5-year follow-up, median EQ5D was 1 in both groups and median Oxford Hip Score was 47 (Tri-Lock) and 45 (Summit) with no statistical significant differences between groups. The Tri-Lock and the Summit stems displayed similar migration until mid-term follow-up. At 3 months both stems had lost metaphyseal periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD). During the following years, the new design regained more metaphyseal BMD. Contrarily, the long and round-tapered stem design regained or even increased diaphyseal BMD. PROM scores improved beyond the reference level for both groups.

Cobalt Chrome Heads Underperform Ceramic and Ceramicized Metal Heads in the Younger Population: An American Joint Replacement Registry Report.

Enhancing the shape memory performance of self-reinforced cross-linked polyethylene composites by the optimization of the production temperature

Minimum 10-Year Follow-Up of Patients 50 Years or less Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty Who Have Fourth-Generation Ceramic 32-mm Femoral Heads on Highly Cross-Linked Polyethylene.

Should We Use the Largest Femoral Head With the Smallest Acetabular Component in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty?

Crosslinking polyethylene glycol and silica microcapsules composite phase change material with wide heat storage temperature range and shape memory function

Effect of applied AC electric field on flame spread over electrical wire with cross-linked polyethylene insulation

Progressive ageing characteristics and mechanism analysis of cross-linked polyethylene materials under thermal stresses

The paper presents the review and substantive analysis on modern insulating materials for power cables and electrical wires. The state of the scientific-and-technical problem regarding the existing insulating materials, their selection according to electrical, thermal and ecological characteristics to ensure the reliable, safe and long-term operation of the cable and wire systems is described. The advantages and limitations of cross-linked polyethylene insulation are presented. Its up-to-date modification, tree-resistant cross-linked polyethylene, is described. The studies on the creation of promising nanocomposite and new environmentally friendly insulating materials are analyzed. The main direction of the studies is the improvement of the basic properties of polymers by adding the nano-sized particles and modifying the structure of the materials. Ref. 50, fig. 8, tables 5.

Survivorship of Highly Cross-Linked Polyethylene in Total Hip Arthroplasty: 20-Year Follow-Up.