Some new studies of the wear behavior of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

The wear rate of ultrahigh molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene over a long campaign of sliding distance is not constant. Both unfilled and graphite filled polyethylene show a high rate early, which reduces to a low value. The graphite-filled product shows a late stage increase in wear rate. Increased molding temperature reduces the molecular weight and increases the wear rate. Titanium articulating with UHMW polyethylene develops frequently an abnormally high wear rate with the generation of a black wear product.