Mechanical and fatigue behavior of the three-section artificial ligament

Abstract

Artificial ligaments transplanted into the human body are subject to ligament rupture and ligament fatigue injury during exercise. The three-section structure of artificial ligaments has a tight structure which can improve the breaking strength at the two ends, and a looser structure which can keep the flexibility in the middle. At present, scholars have studied braided artificial ligaments with high elasticity and creep resistance, and three-section artificial ligaments have other advantages on this basis. In this study, the three-section artificial ligaments were braided with UHMWPE, and a core-shell structure was used at both ends of the ligament as a way to strengthen the tightness and strength, facilitate the fixation of the ligament, and improve the fatigue resistance of artificial ligaments. In addition, the mechanical properties of artificial ligaments were investigated with different numbers of cores. This study proved that the three-section artificial ligament, which is made of UHMWPE has high strength, excellent elastic recovery rate, and fatigue resistance, which can provide mechanical support for the daily activities of the knee joint and help maintain the stability of the knee joint.