• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.354-359
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• 2001

CNTs were added to Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) to improve the tribological properties of UHMWPE. CNTs which have a diameter of about 10-50nm, while their length is about 3-5nm were produced by the catalytic decomposition of tile C$_2$H$_2$ using a tube furnace. UHMWPE/CNTs composites were fabricated by hot pressing method. It is shown that friction coefficient was increased and wear resistance was improved as CNTs were added to UHMWPE because of excellent mechanical properties of CNTs located on UHMWPE surface.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.307-312
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• 2003

Hollow fiber was prepared from the blend of a high density polyethylene (HDPE)/ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The changes in the morphology and mechanical property of the hollow fiber were investigated. The commercial product (Sterapore), having a high water permeability, was analyzed with viscosity measurement and FT-IR. The molecular weight of Sterapore was very high and its surface was coated with a vinyl alcohol/vinyl acetate copolymer. The content of UHMWPE in the HDPE/UHMWPE blend was limited below 10 wt%. In order to improve the dispersion of UHMWPE, a mineral oil should be introduced in the blend. The morphology and mechanical property of the hollow fiber of HDPE/UHMWPE blend were similar to those of the commercial product.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.143-146
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• 2002

The effects of contact configuration and kinematic motion on the wear of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were investigated. Two different contact configurations were adopted for wear testing under the two different kinematic motions with un-irradiated UHMWPE specimens. Wear of UHMWPE pins against the linear reciprocating stainless steel disks was 8% higher than that against the uni-directional repeat pass rotating disks. Wear of UHMWPE disks moving in the linear reciprocating motion against stainless steel ball was 37% higher than that moving in the uni-directional repeat pass rotating motion. The results in this study show that the contact configuration and kinematic motion of sliding definitely affect the wear of UHMWPE through the differences in the contact stress states of UHMWPE.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.100-104
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• 2001

The effects of contact configuration and kinematic motion on the wear of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were investigated. Two different contact configurations were adopted for wear testing under the two different kinematic motions with un-irradiated UHMWPE specimens. Wear of UHMWPE pins against the linear reciprocating stainless steel disks was 8% higher than that against the uni-directional repeat pass rotating disks. Wear of UHMWPE disks moving in the linear reciprocating motion against stainless steel ball was 37% higher than that moving in the uni-directional repeat pass rotating motion. The results in this study show that the contact configuration and kinematic motion of sliding definitely affect the wear of UHMWPE through the differences in the contact stress states of UHMWPE.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.234-238
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• 2018

The influence of reinforcing UHMWPE powder on the tribological and mechanical properties of HDPE was investigated. The circularizing of UHMWPE powder was improved by high-speed rotation to enhance particle distribution and flowability. HDPE composites reinforced with UHMWPE powder in the range of 0-50 wt% were prepared by co-rotating twin screw extrusion. The abrasion resistance, plane friction coefficient, tensile strengths, and impact strengths of the composites were investigated as a function of the UHMWPE content. An increasing UHMWPE content decreased the plane friction coefficient and increased the abrasion resistance and impact strength. It is expected that HDPE composites reinforced with spherical UHMWPE powder particles can be used to improve the durability of products such as pipes in the future.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 1999

Because of bone resorption, wear of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE) in total knee arthroplasty has been recognized as a major factor in long-term failure of knee implant. The surface damage and the following harmful wear debris of UHMWPE is largely related to contact stress. Most of the previous studies focused on the contact condition only at the articulating surface of UHMWPE. Recently, contact stress at the metal-backing interface has been implicated as one of major factors in UHMWPE wear. Therefore, the purpose of the is study is to investigate the effect of the contact stress for different thickness, conformity friction coefficient, and flexion degree of the UHMWPE component in total knee system, considering the contact conditions at both interfaces. In this study, a two-dimensional non-linear plane strain finite element model was developed. The results showed that the maximum value of von-Mises stress occurred below the articulating surface and the contact stress was lower for the more conforming models. All-polyethylene component showed lower stress distribution than the metal-backed component. With increased friction coefficient on the tibiofemoral contact surface, the maximum shear stress increased about twofold.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.454-458
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• 2010

In this study, the microstructural changes in orthopaedic-grade ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were compartively investigated for six different gamma-irradiation methods. Compared with un-irradiation (UGI), conventional gamma-irradiation in air room temperature (AR) induced statistically significant increases of relative crystallinity and percent crosslinking in UHMWPE. Vacuum environment (VR) during gamma-irradiation significantly increased the percent crosslinking in UHMWPE. Vacuum extreme low temperature (V77) during gamma-irradiation induced no significant changes in both relative crystallinity and percent crosslinking of UHMWPE but the percent crosslinking of UHMWPE in VR and V77 was significantly larger than that in AR. Post-irradiation stabilization process significantly increased the relative crystallinity of UHMWPE in V77, and it also significantly increased the percent crosslinking of UHMWPE in AR and V77.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.72-77
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• 2003

Nano-diamonds were added to Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) to improve the tribological properties of UHMWPE. Nano-diamonds which have a diameter of about 5-10nm were produced by detonation. UHMWPE/nano-diamonds composites were fabricated by hot pressing method. It is shown that friction coefficient was increased and wear resistance was improved as nano-diamonds were added to UHMWPE because of excellent mechanical properties of nano-diamonds located on UHMWPE surface.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1996 no.11
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• pp.3-6
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• 1996

The Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is exclusivity used as the articulation component with metal or ceramic materials in artificial joint prosthesis because of its good mechanical properties. In the long term however, wear of UHMWPE causes complex problems and hence causes loosening of He prosthesis. In this study, we tried to enhance the wear property of UHMWPE by attaching a hydrophilic graft on the UHMWPE surface and by improving surface hardness without deteriorating the mechanical properties of UHMWPE. This was achieved by ion implantation and by ${\gamma}$-irradiation to the surface in acrylic acid solution and by photo-polymerization in divinylbenzen (DVB), diallysophthalate (DAIP) solution. The wear test was performed by a wear testing machine of ball-on-disk type devised by the authors. The UHMWPE with hydrophlic surface and increased surface hardness developed by above treatments showed less volumetric wear.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.293-301
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• 2011

Understanding of the tribological characteristics of polytetrafluoroethylen (PTFE) and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is crucial for their applications such as bearing and total joint replacement. In this work, the effect of the surface roughness of carbon steel on the tribological behaviors of PTFE and UHMWPE was experimentally investigated by using block-on-ring tribotester with friction force monitoring capability. It was found that that the amount of material transfer layers of PTFE formed on the carbon steel was significantly larger than those of UHMWPE, which was responsible the lower friction coefficient of PTFE. It was also concluded that the effect of surface roughness of carbon steel on the friction coefficient of UHMWPE was more significant than that of PTFE. For UHMWPE, it was found that the effect of surface roughness of counterface was varied with respect to applied normal force and sliding as well. Based on Archard's wear law, the wear coefficient of PTFE and UHMWPE was calculated to be $3{\times}10^{-5}$ ~ $8{\times}10^{-5}$ and $7{\times}10^{-6}$ ~ $2{\times}10^{-5}$, respectively.