Tribological Behaviour of Materials of Artificial Articular Cartilage

In order to improve the lubricating behaviour of artificial joints,an overall new constructional design should be adopted.The materials with low elastic modulus and good lubricating behaviour,i.e.the elastomeric polymer,were developed.An oscillatoutype tribometer developed by ourselves was used to determine the frictional factor and to differentiate the lubricating mode for three kinds of bio-compatible polymer(i.e.silicone rubber,polyurethane and polyvinylalcohol hydrogel).The experimental results showed that the lubricating regime for the lubricated sliding pairs of sill cone rubber/316L stainless steel and polyurethane/316L stainless steel are boundary lubrication,and the lubricating regime for the lubricated sliding pair of polyvinylalcohol hydrogel/316L stainless steel is mixed lubrication.