Wear performance of all-polymer PEEK articulations for a cervical total level arthroplasty system

Abstract

Pin-on-plate wear testing of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) was performed in a PEEKon-PEEK configuration to explore the tribology of this rather uncommon contact configuration. To illustrate its possible application, a total level cervical arthroplasty system was described. Also, it was noted that previous pin-on-plate and simulator studies of this type of material pairing had been conducted. The present study continued the protocol of testing under an adverse loading regime that was originally introduced by Austin et al. to investigate the sensitivity of allpolymer PEEK articulations to previous wear damage. A gravimetric wear assessment protocol was used that avoided vacuum drying. The lower wear of polyacrylonitrile carbon fibre-reinforced PEEK compared with unfilled PEEK, as found by many other studies, was confirmed. PEEK was shown to have remarkably low wear despite previous adverse load testing. The coefficient of friction was found to be quite high (up to 0.5) and this might have clinical implications. Finally, it was noted that the comparison of wear factors and wear amounts from the present study (and other previous studies) with those of the very similar study by Scholes and Unsworth suggested that their laboratory model might be overstating the wear of all-polymer PEEK articulations for potential applications in orthopaedic tribology.

The Biotribology of PEEK-on-HXLPE Bearings Is Comparable to Traditional Bearings on a Multidirectional Pin-on-disk Tester

“…They reported an average wear factor of 0.64 ± 0.13 9 10 Biotribology of PEEK All-polymer Bearings 2391 mm 3 /Nm and 0.13 ± 0.12 9 10 À6 mm 3 /Nm for PEEK and CFR-PEEK, respectively. These wear factors are comparable to the wear factors reported in the current study, although some test parameters are different between the two studies: the contact area is larger in Langohr et al [13]; the slide track is different in nature (pins translate while rotating); and the bearing couples were self-mating PEEKon-PEEK and CFR-PEEK-on-CFR-PEEK.…”

“…Again, these comparisons underline the importance of testing bearing couples simultaneously under identical test conditions to compare their wear rates. In another study, Langohr et al [13] tested PEEK and CFR-PEEK self-mating pin and disk bearing couples. The pins were 9.5 mm in diameter (compared with 9 mm in the current study) and traveled 17 mm (compared with 23 mm in the current study) while rotating around their axes.…”

Nondestructive microimaging during preclinical pin-on-plate testing of novel materials for arthroplasty

“…Instead, materials and treatments are screened using pin-on-plate (also called pin-on-disc) testing. 12,13 In this type of testing, small cylindrical specimens of the material and treatment under examination are repeatedly articulated for millions of cycles. Although the specimens lack the complex geometry of a complete implant, their basic wear resistance can be determined relatively quickly and cheaply in comparison to a larger, full-scale wear simulator study.…”

Research on Biological Properties of PEEK Based Composites

“…Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a semi crystalline thermoplastic, which is characterized by excellent thermal stability and high mechanical properties, resistance to chemical and radiation damage combined with excellent wear-resistance and low friction coefficient due to its good stiffness and toughness [1][2][3]. PEEK is widely used in the fields of aerospace and nuclear industries.…”