PEEK-based Hip Bearing Surfaces: Pre-clinical Tribological Assessment of Wear, Wear Particles and Friction

Abstract

PEEK-based materials were investigated as potential acetabular liners. Wear factors, friction coefficients and wear particle morphology, size distributions and geometrical characteristics of XLPE (comparative control), unfilled PEEK and CFR-PEEK articulating against HCCoCr and Biolox Delta ceramic were assessed under average and high contact pressures within POP configurations. Geometrical and gravimetrical changes, maximum penetration depths, surface roughness, articulating areas morphology and wear particle morphology, size distributions and geometrical characteristics of CFR-PEEK cups articulating against Biolox Delta ceramic heads using Prosim Hip simulator were assessed under standard articulation and microseparation