Effect of CoCr Counterface Roughness on the Wear of UHMWPE in the Noncyclic RandomPOD Simulation

Abstract

With the random motion and load pin-on-disk (RandomPOD) wear test system, conventional and highly crosslinked ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMWPE) were run against CoCr counterfaces with different surface roughnesses. The unique 16-station, computer-controlled pin-on-disk device produced noncyclic motion and load. With appropriate specimen shapes, simulations of wear mechanisms of both hip and knee prostheses were performed. Against polished counterfaces, the crosslinked UHMWPE showed negligible wear. Its wear against severely roughened counterfaces was close to that of conventional UHMWPE against polished counterfaces. The reduction in wear with crosslinked versus conventional UHMWPE was 80–86% in the hip and 87–96% in the knee wear simulation. The wear particles were of clinically relevant size and shape which indicated realistic wear mechanisms.