Production and biocompatibility evaluation of carbon fiber reinforced polyethylene composite for acetabular cup

Abstract

Composites of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) reinforced with 10,15 and 20 percent of carbon fiber were prepared by a technique of uniform mixing and moulding. Acetabular cups were produced by compression moulding methods. A new walk simulator was also developed in-house for testing the tribological performances of these cups. The result from walk simulator test is encouraging. Using human walk simulator machine did in vitro wear testing. Characterizations were performed to analyze the microstructure, composition, phase purity and crystalline by using XRD, DSC/TGA. Biocompatibility test was done by cytotoxicity and MTT assay methods. Above these experiments show that developed composites may be used as bone substitute materials of hard tissue replacement. © Freund Publishing House Ltd.