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Atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), non-contacting interferometry and optical microscopy were used to characterize both modified and unmodified material surfaces prior to and after tribological wear tests. The results indicated that N + ion-implanted Ti6Al4V/UHMWPE sliding couples were distinctly superior to the unmodified sliding couples, and demonstrated a definite potential for the use of N + ion-implanted Ti6Al4V and implanted UHMWPE as load bearing surfaces in TJR prostheses.
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