Nanoindentation properties of compression-moulded ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

This paper investigates the elastic modulus and hardness of untreated and treated compression-moulded ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tibial inserts of a total knee replacement (TKR) prosthesis. Investigations were carried Out at a nanoscale using a Nanoindenter(TM) at penetration depths of 100, 250 and 500 rim. The nanomechanical properties of surface and subsurface layers of the compression-moulded tibial inserts were studied using the untreated UHMWPE. The nanomechanical properties of intermediate and core layers of the compression-moulded tibial insert were studied using the cryoultrasectioned and etched UHMWPE treated samples. The cryoultrasectioning temperature (-150degreesC) of the samples was below the glass transition temperature, T-g (-122 +/- 2degreesC), of UHMWPE. The measurement of the mechanical response of crystalline regions within the nanostructure of UHMWPE was accomplished by removing the amorphous regions using a time-varying permanganic-etching technique. The percentage crystallinity of UHMWPE was measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the T-g of UHMWPE was determined by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to assess the effect of surface preparation on the samples average surface roughness, R-a. In this study, it was demonstrated that the untreated UHMWPE samples had a significantly lower (p < 0.0001) elastic modulus and hardness relative to treated UHMWPE cryoultrasectioned and etched samples at all penetration depths. No significant difference (p > 0.05) in elastic modulus and hardness between the cryoultrasectioned and etched samples was observed. These results suggest that the surface nanomechanical response of an UHMWPE insert in a total Joint replacement (TJR) prosthesis is significantly lower compared with the bulk of the material. Additionally, it was concluded that the nanomechanical response of material with higher percentage crystallinity (67 per cent) was predominantly determined by the crystalline regions within the semi-crystalline UHMWPE nanostructure.