A Micro Constitutive Model for Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Orthopaedic Implant Bearings

Abstract:

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a tough semi-crystalline polymer employed widely as a bearing material in total joint replacements. The micromechanical model has been presented that predicts stiffness of UHMWPE as an aggregate of crystalline inclusions (lamellae) embedded in a rubbery matrix of amorphous polymer chains. The differential scheme was chosen for its ability to represent the interaction between an inclusion and the matrix. Numerical simulations show that increasing lamellar thickness results in less stiffness, less shear stress imposed on the lamellae, indicates that thick lamellae are desirable for UHMWPE materials utilized in total joint replacement bearings.

• Periodical: Defect and Diffusion Forum (Volume 382)
• Pages: 201-207
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/DDF.382.201
• Online since: January 2018
• Authors: Chen Yuan Chung
• Keywords: Constitutive Behavior, Micromechanics, Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene

References

[1] Shaofan Li, Gang Wang, Introduction to micromechanics and nanomechanics, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., (2008).

[2] J.D. Eshelby, The determination of the elastic field of an ellipsoidal inclusion, and related problems, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Vol. 241 (1957), pp.376-396.

DOI: 10.1098/rspa.1957.0133

[3] J.W. Ju, and L.Z. Sun, Effective elastoplastic behavior of metal matrix composites containing randomly located aligned spheroidal inhomogeneities. Part I: micromechanics-based formulation, International Journal of Solids and Structures, Vol. 38 (2001).

DOI: 10.1016/s0020-7683(00)00023-8

[4] F. Bédoui, J. Diani, G. Régnier, Micromechanical modeling of elastic properties in polyolefins, Polymer, Vol. 45 (2004), pp.2433-2442.

DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2004.01.028

[5] Sia Nemat-Nasser, Muneo Hori, Micromechanics: overall properties of heterogeneous materials, North-Holland Series in Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, (1999).

DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-89881-4.50004-9

[6] T Chen, G.J. Dvorak, Y. Benveniste, Mori-Tanaka estimates of the overall elastic moduli of certain composite materials, Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 59 (1992), pp.539-546.

DOI: 10.1115/1.2893757

[7] P.B. Bowden, R.J. Young, Deformation Mechanisms in Crystalline Polymers, Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 9 (1974), p.2034-(2051).

[8] S. Nikolov, I. Doghri, O. Pierard, L. Zeaouk, A. Goldberg, Multi-scale constitutive modeling of the small deformations of semi-crystalline polymers, Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, Vol. 50 (2002), pp.2275-2302.

DOI: 10.1016/s0022-5096(02)00036-4

[9] D. -L. Shi, X. -Q. Feng, Y. Y. Huang, K. -C. Hwang, H. Gao, The effect of nanotube waviness and agglomeration on the elastic property of carbon nanotube-reinforced composites, Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology, Vol. 126 (2004).

DOI: 10.1115/1.1751182

[10] T. Kazmierczak, A. Galeski, A.S. Argon, Plastic deformation of polyethylene crystals as a function of crystal thickness and compression rate, Polymer, Vol. 46 (2005), pp.8926-8936.

DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2005.06.073

[11] M.C. Araújo, J.P. Martins, S.M. Mirkhalaf, S. Lanceros-Mendez, F.M. Andrade Pires, R. Simoes, Predicting the mechanical behavior of amorphous polymeric materials under strain through multi-scale simulation, Applied Surface Science, Vol. 306 (2014).

DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.03.072