• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.680-685
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• 2012

Ceramic femoral heads are now widely used in Total Hip Replacement (THR). Due to their high biocompatibility and low ductility, ceramic femoral heads are considered to be suitable for young and active patients. However, as in testing the mechanical stability of the femoral head, the conventional proof test (standard ISO 7206-10) has its limit of showing axisymmetric stress distribution on the contact surface, while non-uniformed stress distribution is expected after THR. Since non-uniformed stress distribution can result in the increased probability of ceramic femoral head fracture, it is considerable to evaluate the stress distribution in vivo-like conditions. Therefore, this study simulated the ceramic femoral heads under in vivo-like conditions using finite element method. The maximum stress decreased when increasing the size of the femoral head and stress distribution was concentrated on superior contact surface of the taper region.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.355-361
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• 2004

Ceramic femoral heads in the total hip replacement have been developed to reduce the polyethylene liner wear, Alumina and zirconia (3Y-TZP) having the excellent tribological properties are coupled against acetabular cups of polyethylene and are used in clinical application worldwide. However, alumina has a risk of catastrophic failure, and zirconia has the low temperature degradation in spite of enhanced fracture toughness. Recently, novel zirconia/alumina composite is very attractive due to the low temperature degradation (LTD)-free character and high fracture toughness. In the present study, we focus on the wear of ceramic on ceramic, which are able to be used as femoral heads and acetabular cups. Therefore, LTD-free zirconia/alumina composites with three compositions are made in a form of disk and cylinder, and the wear of the composites is performed on pin-on-disk type wear tester. The wear is conducted with or without lubricant. All the composites fabricated with the different composition show the good wear resistance.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.490-497
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• 2018

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of ceramic-on-polyethylene articular bearing surface when cementless total hip arthroplasty is performed in patients older than 65 years through an analysis of the minimum five-year follow-up results using the ceramic femoral head and cross-linked polyethylene liner. Materials and Methods: From March 2010 to September 2012, 51 patients (56 hips) who were older than 65 years were enrolled in this retrospective study. The mean age at surgery was $70.9{\pm}5.1years$ old. A clinical assessment was analyzed using the Harris hip score. For the radiographic assessment, the cup inclination and anteversion, stem alignment, and wear amount were measured. The postoperative complications were also determined. Results: The mean Harris hip score was improved from preoperative 48 points to postoperative 87 points (p<0.05). The mean cup inclination was $40.9^{\circ}{\pm}6.4^{\circ}$ and the mean cup anteversion was $20.3^{\circ}{\pm}8.1^{\circ}$. The mean cup anteversion of the elevated liner-used group (16 cases) was $14.3^{\circ}{\pm}7.9^{\circ}$ and the mean cup anteversion of the neutral liner used group (40 cases) was $22.4^{\circ}{\pm}9.1^{\circ}$ (p<0.05). The mean stem alignment angle was $0^{\circ}$ (range, varus $4^{\circ}$-valgus $4^{\circ}$). The mean linear wear amount was $0.458{\pm}0.041mm$ and the average annual linear wear rate was $0.079{\pm}0.032mm/yr$. Six cases (10.7%) of intraoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures were encountered. Conclusion: Based on these results, the use of a ceramic-on-polyethylene articular bearing surface in elderly patients with cementless total hip arthroplasty is beneficial. On the other hand, careful effort is needed to prevent intraoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.216-220
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• 2005

The sliding wear behaviors of three different compositions of novel low temperature degradation-free zirconia/alumina (LTD-free Z/A) composites were examined in a ceramic-ceramic contact pair. The wear tests were performed by using a pin-on-disk type wear tester in a linear reciprocal sliding motion with a line contact in both dry and bovine serum lubricated conditions at room temperature. From the results of dry sliding wear tests, Z/A#1((5.3Y, 4.6Nb)-TZP/80 $vol\%Al_2O_3$) showed the best wear resistance among three kinds of LTD-free Z/A composites. For the bovine serum lubricated sliding wear tests, wear was too little to be measured for all kinds of Z/A composites. These novel LTD-free Z/A composites having excellent wear resistance demonstrated a potential as the alternative materials for the ceramic-ceramic contact pairs of femoral head and acetabular liner in total hip replacement.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2002.10b
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• pp.365-366
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• 2002

The sliding wear behavior of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was examined on a novel low temperature degradation-free zirconia/alumina composite material and conventional alumina and zirconia ceramics used for femoral head in total hip joint replacement. The wear of UHMWPE pins against these ceramic disks was evaluated by performing linear reciprocal sliding and repeat pass rotational sliding tests for one million cycles in bovine serum. The weight loss of polyethylene against the novel low temperature degradation-free zirconia/alumina composite disks was much less than those against conventional ceramics for all tests. The mean weight loss of the polyethylene pins was more io the linear reciprocal sliding test than in the repeal pass rotational sliding lest for all kinds of disk materials. Neither the coherent transfer film nor the surface damage was observed on the surface of the novel zirconia/alumina composite disks during the test. The observed r,'stilts indicated that the wear of the polyethylene was closely related to contacting materials and kinematic motions. In conclusion, the novel zirconia/alumina composite leads the least wear of polyethylene among the tested ceramics and demonstrates the potential as lhe alternative materials for femoral head in total hip joint replacement.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.91-94
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• 2003

Ceramic femoral heads in the total hip replacement have been developed to reduce the polyethylene liner wear. Alumina and zirconia (3Y-TZP) are using in clinical application worldwide and there are many good test reports. However, alumina has a risk of catastrophic failure, and zirconia has the low temperature degradation in spite of enhanced fracture toughness. Recently, novel zirconia/alumina composite having low temperature degradation-free character and high fracture tough . was developed and it leads the lower wear 3f polyethylene than alumina and zirconia. In the present study, in order to optimise the microstructure of low temperature degradation (LTD)-free zirconia/alumina composite for the best wear resistance of polyethylene, various compositions of (LTD)-free zirconia/alumina composites were fabricated, and the sliding wear of UHMWPE against these novel composites were examined and compared with that against alumina and zirconia ceramics used for total hip joint heads.