Bioceramics are Not Bioinert: The Role of Oxide and Non-Oxide Bioceramics on the Oxidation of UHMWPE Components in Artificial Joints

The following research is aimed at understanding the influence of Zirconia-Toughened Alumina (ZTA) and Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) on Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) acetabular liners. Bioceramic femoral heads were systematically tested against UHMWPE in controlled environment accordin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Key engineering materials 2018-10, Vol.782, p.165-175
Main Authors: Bock, Ryan, Yamamoto, Kengo, Marin, Elia, Pezzotti, Giuseppe, Rondinella, Alfredo, Zhu, Wen Liang, Bal, B. Sonny, McEntire, Bryan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Artificial joints
Bioceramics
Oxidation
Polyethylene
Silicon nitride
Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene
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Summary:The following research is aimed at understanding the influence of Zirconia-Toughened Alumina (ZTA) and Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) on Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) acetabular liners. Bioceramic femoral heads were systematically tested against UHMWPE in controlled environment according to static/load-free coupling in hydrothermal environment, pin-on-ball wear testing, and hip-simulator wear testing. In addition, a retrieved ZTA femoral head has been analyzed and results have been compared to the simulations. Experimental results from X-ray photoelectron (XPS), cathodoluminescence (CL), Raman and Fourier-Transformed Infrared spectroscopy suggest that, despite conventional notions imply that bioceramics are inert, the surface chemistry of bioceramics was relevant to the oxidation rate of polyethylene liners. Non-biointertness could either be advantageous or disadvantageous toward polyethylene oxidation. The main reason resides in the peculiar chemical interactions between polyethylene and different ceramics, and, more specifically, depends on the direction of oxygen flow at the interface between the ceramic and the polymer. ZTA femoral heads were found to release a non-negligible amount of oxygen moieties from their surfaces, thus accelerating oxidative degradation of polyethylene. Conversely, Si3N4 ceramics exerted a protective role towards the polyethylene liner by scavenging oxygen from the tribolayer. The results of this work provide new insights into the interaction between bioceramics and polymers, which should also be considered when designing the next generation artificial hip joints with significantly elongated lifetimes.
ISSN:1013-9826
1662-9795
1662-9795
DOI:10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.782.165