Abstract
A substantial portion of the global population is affected by orthopedic conditions due to aging, osteoporosis, and traumatic conditions. Implants were inserted in the affected site for stabilizing and healing and sometimes as a replacement. Mostly all orthopedic implants are made of metallic biomaterials as they have higher ultimate tensile strength, durability, toughness, and good fatigue strength. CoCr Mo-alloy is a commonly used biomaterial for knee replacement which creates a predicament for metal-sensitivity in patients due to its toxicity. It has a high Young's modulus of about 220 GPa, which can lead to stress shielding on the bone that causes resorption of the softer cortical bone, which has a Young's modulus of 18 GPa. Thermopolymers such as PEEK and ULTEM™ 1010 can diminish the primary causes of failure of knee implants such as wear, micromotion, and stress shielding effect. The three-component knee prosthesis is designed with the knee model from the CT as a reference, and the dimensions are taken from the same. A preliminary wear test is carried out with a linear reciprocating tribometer with three combinations of pin and plate samples (ULTEM™ 1010VS ULTEM™ 1010, PLA-C vs ULTEM™ 1010, and PLAC vs PLAC) by applying a load of 40N and sliding speed of 40 mm/s in lubricated condition. The surface image of the samples was analyzed before and after the wear test using LEXT microscope. The cytotoxicity test using mouse L929 fibroblast cells is carried out on ULTEM™ 1010 guarantees its biocompatibility. It can be a good alternative biomaterial for load-bearing implants.
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