This paper studies the effect of contact stress on friction and wear of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) acetabular cups by means of friction and wear joint simulator testing under serum lubrication. For a given applied load, increasing the contact stress by increasing the ball/socket radial clearance decreased both the coefficient of friction and the wear rate. Friction and wear were highly correlated. The dependence of friction on contact stress for the UHMWPE socket under serum lubrication was similar to that of semi-crystalline polymers under dry sliding. This finding indicates the occurrence of partial dry contact at asperity levels for the metal-polyethylene ball-in-socket joint under serum lubrication.
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