Premium
Comparison of one‐step and sequentially irradiated ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene for total joint replacements
Author(s) -
Slouf Miroslav,
Kotek Jiri,
Baldrian Josef,
Kovarova Jana,
Fencl Jaroslav,
Bouda Tomas,
Janigova Ivica
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part b: applied biomaterials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.665
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1552-4981
pISSN - 1552-4973
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.b.32857
Subject(s) - irradiation , materials science , polyethylene , indentation hardness , annealing (glass) , polymer , composite material , ultra high molecular weight polyethylene , microstructure , physics , nuclear physics
Structure and properties of several ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylenes (UHMWPEs), which were crosslinked either by standard, single‐step irradiation or by newer, several‐step irradiation (sequential irradiation), were compared. To verify the results, the same characterization was carried out for commercially available UHMWPE liners made of sequentially irradiated polymer (X3™, Stryker, Mahwah, NJ) and one‐step irradiated polymer (denoted as PE‐IMC, produced by Beznoska, Kladno, Czech Republic). The structure was studied by a number of spectroscopic, diffraction, thermal, and microscopic methods. Mechanical properties were assessed by small‐punch, microhardness and, wear testing. Our results suggested that sequential irradiation followed by annealing did not lead to unusual structure at the molecular or supermolecular level. Consequently, all measured mechanical properties, including wear resistance, were comparable with one‐step irradiated UHMWPEs. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 101B: 414–422, 2013.