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Analysis of friction between articular cartilage and polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel artificial cartilage

  • Engineering and Nano-engineering Approaches for Medical Devices
  • Original Research
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Abstract

Many biomaterials are being used to repair damaged articular cartilage. In particular, poly vinyl alcohol hydrogel has similar mechanical properties to natural cartilage under compressive and shearing loading. Here, three-factor and two-level friction experiments and long-term tests were conducted to better evaluate its tribological properties. The friction coefficient between articular cartilage and the poly vinyl alcohol hydrogel depended primarily on the three factors of load, speed, and lubrication. When the speed increased from 10 to 20 mm/s under a load of 10 N, the friction coefficient increased from 0.12 to 0.147. When the lubricant was changed from Ringer’s solution to a hyaluronic acid solution, the friction coefficient decreased to 0.084 with loads as high as 22 N. The poly vinyl alcohol hydrogel was severely damaged and lost its top surface layers, which were transferred to the articular cartilage surface. Wear was observed in the surface morphologies, which indicated the occurrence of surface adhesion of bovine cartilage. Surface fatigue and adhesive wear was the dominant wear mechanism.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by Special Fund for Postdoctoral Innovative Project of Shandong Province (No. 201203029) and Doctoral Foundation of Qingdao University of Science and Technology (No. 0022642).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, No. 99 Song Ling Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao, 266061, People’s Republic of China

    Feng Li & Anmin Wang

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, People’s Republic of China

    Chengtao Wang

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  1. Feng Li
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  2. Anmin Wang
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Correspondence to Feng Li.

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Li, F., Wang, A. & Wang, C. Analysis of friction between articular cartilage and polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel artificial cartilage. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 27, 87 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-016-5700-y

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