Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Alcoy 03801, Spain.
Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2019 Jan 1;94:628-634. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2018.10.018. Epub 2018 Oct 5.
Localized cartilage damage is a common problem for younger patients. This can heal, but often results in a painful condition that requires intervention. A welded-woven three-dimensional polymer fabric has been suggested as a suitable cartilage replacement because such materials closely match the mechanical properties of cartilage. However, such materials fare poorly when evaluated with respect to wear. A microscopic investigation of wear mechanisms showed that it is critical that the fibers not deflect laterally under a normal load. This observation led to the use of a new process for selective laser welding of the surface layers of three-dimensional fabrics in order to improve their wear resistance. Experimental evaluations were made in a pin-on-disc arrangement with a biomimetic loading. All materials used in the studies have previously been used in orthopedic devices or meet the requirements for United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) Class VI biocompatibility approval. The wear rates were significantly reduced and the lifespan of the fabrics was markedly improved due to surface welding, making this a viable option for cartilage replacement in vivo.
局部软骨损伤是年轻患者的常见问题。这种损伤可以愈合，但通常会导致疼痛，需要进行干预。焊接式三维聚合物纤维织物已被提议作为一种合适的软骨替代物，因为这种材料与软骨的机械性能非常匹配。然而，当涉及到磨损时，这些材料的表现并不理想。对磨损机制的微观研究表明，在正常负载下纤维不能横向偏斜是至关重要的。这一观察结果导致采用了一种新的工艺，用于选择性激光焊接三维织物的表面层，以提高其耐磨性。实验评估是在具有仿生加载的销盘装置中进行的。研究中使用的所有材料以前都曾用于矫形设备，或符合美国药典 (USP) 六级生物相容性批准的要求。由于表面焊接，磨损率显著降低，织物的寿命显著延长，这使得它成为体内软骨替代的一种可行选择。
