HIGHLY CROSSLINKED POLYETHYLENE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN TWO UHMWPES WITH DISTINCT MOLECULAR WEIGHT

摘要

In the recent years, radiation-induced highly crosslinked polyethylenes have been introduced in arthroplasties as an alternative to conventional ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) for their superior wear resistance. In the present study, the influence of the molecular weight of the raw on end-user properties of highly crosslinked polyethylenes (HXLPE) is investigated by means of a comparative study between two resins with distinct molecular weights. The main outcomes indicate that the differences in mechanical and wear properties between the row materials disappear after crosslink-ing; nevertheless the resin with the highest molecular weight is likely to retain a better resistance to short-term oxidation.