Wear mechanisms and particle generation in ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

Abstract

The effect of varying the initial surface roughness of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tested in reciprocating wear against CoCr pins in bovine serum is investigated. It is found that wear occurs in two distinct stages that appear and disappear cyclically. The low wear phase corresponds to the development of surface deformation features that degenerate into a high amplitude wavelike topography. The features wear by fibrillar pullout and microfracture, producing submicrometer particulate debris.