Influence of Five-Year Degradation on Mechanical and Tribology Properties of Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been the most commonly used bearing material in total joint replacement. The degradation of UHMWPE components has a notable influence on its mechanical properties. UHMWPE samples were immersed in simulated fluid (SBF) up to 5years and the change in chemical composition and mechanical and wetting properties was investigated. It was found that the oxygen/carbon (O/C) ratio and crystallinity increased from 14.5 and 50.0% before immersion to 52.8 and 60.7% after immersion in SBF for 5years, respectively. These resulted in a reduction in ball indentation hardness, scratch coefficient, peak load, and contact angle by 35.7, 21.0, 15.8, and 14.0%, respectively, after 5years of immersion. The steady-state friction coefficient and wear rate increased 83.3 and 43.8%, respectively, after immersion in SBF for 5years. The preliminary study indicated that the scratch test was an effective method to evaluate the surface performance of UHMWPE after short-term degradation, and small punch test was often used to assess the bulk properties of UHMWPE after long-term degradation.