ASTM F 732

Scope
a laboratory method for evaluating the wear properties of combinations of materials that are being considered for use as bearing surfaces of human total joint prostheses.

Significance and Use

This test method is designed to evaluate combinations of materials with respect to the amount of polymer wear, where quantifiable wear occurs primarily on the polymeric component.

Orthopaedic Wear Application

For linear reciprocating wear motion applications For fixed-bearing ball-cup (hip-type) wear motion applications, For nominally linear motion delamination wear applications

Wear Test Machine / Tribometer

The UMT allows for monitoring during the test the actual dynamic normal load, friction force and friction coefficient, and depth of wear. Optionally, it can measure additional parameters of contact acoustic emission and temperature.

Wear Test Machine / Tribometer

UMT-3M

HJS wear test machine.

Preparation of Specimens
Polymers and Composites:
Fabrication history Pre-test characterization
bulk material properties
molecular-weight range and distribution, percent crystallinity, density, or others.

Counterfaces of Metal Alloys, Ceramic, or Other Materials:

Characterization
recording of fabrication variables material properties (for example, grain structure, hardness, and percentage of contaminants).

The surface finish properties

Profilometry, photomicrography, replication by various plastics, or other techniques.

Surface Finish

Sterilization Cleaning of Polymer Specimens Soaking of Polymeric and Composite Specimens

Procedure & Result

Procedure Gravimetric measurement method The minimum duration shall be two million wear cycles. The minimum number of wear measurements, subsequent to the initial measurement shall be four. Results Wear Rates volumetric loss of the bearing component(s) as a function of sliding distance and/or the number of wear cycles Wear Mechanisms: Provide a description of the articulating surfaces of both components. An explanation of how the wear mechanisms meet the designated criteria

Biomaterial
A biomaterial is defined as any systemically, pharmacologically inert substance or combination of substances utilized for implantation within or incorporation with a living system to supplement or replace functions of living tissues or organs.

Biocompatibility is the ability of material to perform within an appropriate host response in a specific application. Biocompatibility in other words is the quality of not having toxic or injurious effects on biological systems.

Human Knee Joint

A Typical Hip Prosthesis

Dental Implants

Contact Lens Nose implants

Biodegradables tent

Reason for failure

Primary hip arthoplasties are subjected to failure due to bone resorption i.e. bone loss. Failure due to fatigue loading of hip joint. Relative micro motions resulting from improper implant fitting in the bone cavity. Stress shielding followed by bone resorption in the other areas of bone-implant interface. Hip failure due to bone loss is caused by the production of wear particles associated with the deterioration of the prosthesis

Implant Loosening

Loosening of acetabular cup)

loosening of femoral stem

Extreme loosening may lead to bone fracture

What causes implant loosening? Stress shielding:

Metal devices carries too large of a portion of bones load

Mechanical mismatch
Elastic modulus (GPa)* Haynes 25, annealed SS 316L, annealed Ti-6Al-4V, annealed 210 190 114 Elastic modulus (GPa)* Cortical Bone Cancellous Bone 17 - 24 0.1 - 4.5

What causes implant loosening? UHMWPE Wear Debris:

- billions to trillions wear particles produced (150,000 per step) - Wear rate = 0.1 mm/year - most are < 1 micron - Wear particles migrate to bone and cause osteolysis This causes osteolysis (rapid bone loss) immune system response to wear particles bone modeling balance upset
Wear Particle

Causes loss of bone, implant loosening

Biomaterials
Stainless Steel Alloys Cobalt-Chrome alloys (Vitallium) Titanium alloys Composites

Combinations for Joint application

Metal Cermic Combination Metal Polyethylene combination Metal Metal Combination

 High Wear Rate of poltyethylene Ceramic- Brittle in nature Metal Best Suitable because of realtively high resistance to wear Still need to optimise the wear and corrostion rate