Application Potential of UHMWPE Based Composite Materials With MWCNTs and ZnO Addition in Acetabular Cup Prostheses

In order to improve the wear and aging resistance of UHMWPE based polymer acetabular cup prosthesis, the hot-embossing method is used to prepare multi-component MWCNTs/ZnO added UHMWPE based composite materials in this article. The research results found that the diffusion characteristics of MWCNTs/ZnO additives in composite materials have a significant impact on their wear resistance. Under the condition of 25% NBS, the wear rate of the UMZ-3 sample was 13.94% lower than that of the pure U sample. Although MWCNTs can play a role in reducing friction to a certain extent, their high hardness characteristics may lead to the release of the composite material as a third body during friction. The optimization of heat transfer performance of MWCNTs/ZnO composite materials has alleviated the aging process to a certain extent and suppressed the softening phenomenon. Compared with the OI value of the pure U sample, which is in the range of 1.4–5.1, the OI value of the UMZ-3 sample is in the range of 2.62–3.06. In addition, the synergistic effect of MWCNTs/ZnO effectively inhibits the oxidation process while also having a positive impact on cell proliferation, demonstrating its potential as an additive to enhance the service life of polymer acetabular cups.