Title: Research on polymer composites of replacement prostheses

Authors: Maoquan Xue

Addresses: Changzhou Institute of Light Industry Technology, 8 Ming Xin Road, Wujin District, Chanzhou 213164, China

Abstract: The research on modified articular cartilage UHMWPE and PEEK reinforced with the ceramic particles, as well as fibre, ion implantation and ?-ray irradiation is presented. Research results show that pure polymer cartilage materials produce a large number of fatigue cracks during the wear process. Ceramic particles and fibre-filled reinforcement improved the spatial structure of the material, the wear mechanism was characterised by the mild fatigue wear. Ion implantation and ?-ray irradiation modified the articular cartilage by breaking the molecular main chains, then, by re-crosslinking the free radicals, this structure improved the mechanical properties and tribological properties of materials.

Keywords: UHMWPE; PEEK; articular cartilage; fibre reinforcement; ion implantation; gamma ray irradiation; friction; wear; biomedical engineering; polymer composites; replacement prostheses; ceramic particles; fibre reinforced composites; fatigue cracks.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2011.042495

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2011 Vol.7 No.1, pp.18 - 27

Published online: 21 Jan 2015 *

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