Regression models to predict the behavior of the coefficient of friction of AISI 316L on UHMWPE under ISO 14243-3 conditions.

Friction is the natural response of all tribosystems. In a total knee replacement (TKR) prosthetic device, its measurement is hindered by the complex geometry of its integrating parts and that of the testing simulation rig operating under the ISO 14243-3:2014 standard. To develop prediction models of the coefficient of friction (COF) between AISI 316L steel and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) lubricated with fetal bovine serum dilutions, the arthrokinematics and loading conditions prescribed by the ISO 142433: 2014 standard were translated to a simpler geometrical setup, via Hertz contact theory. Tribological testing proceeded by loading a stainless steel AISI 316L ball against the surface of a UHMWPE disk, with the test fluid at 37 °C. The method has been applied to study the behavior of the COF during a whole walking cycle. On the other hand, the role of protein aggregation phenomena as a lubrication mechanism has been extensively studied in hip joint replacements but little explored for the operating conditions of a TKR. Lubricant testing fluids were prepared with fetal bovine serum (FBS) dilutions having protein mass concentrations of 5, 10, 20 and 36 g/L. The results were contrasted against deionized, sterilized water. The results indicate that even at protein concentration as low as 5 g/L, protein aggregation phenomena play an important role in the lubrication of the metal-on-polymer tribopair. The regression models of the COF developed herein are available for numerical simulations of the tribological behavior of the aforementioned tribosystem. In this case, surface stress rather than film thickness should be considered.

The coefficient of friction of UHMWPE along an entire walking cycle using a ball-on-disc tribometer under arthrokinematics and loading conditions prescribed by ISO 14243-3:2014.

The observation of tribological phenomena occurring in total knee replacement (TKR) simulators may be obscured by the intrinsic complexity of their operation: the dynamics and kinematics prescribed by the ISO 14243-3:2014 standard, and the geometry of the surfaces involved. On the other hand, evaluating the individual performance of the tribosystem elements may be carried out in simpler apparatuses. An experimental method is presented here, by means of which the arthrokinematics and loading conditions prescribed by the said standard are adapted to a ball-on-disc configuration in order to observe the behavior of the coefficient of friction along an entire walking cycle, using the contact point of an AISI 316L stainless steel ball rolling/sliding on an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) disc, lubricated by a solution of fetal bovine serum, at 37°C. The method was tried on two different testing fluids prepared with protein concentrations of 20g/L, according to the said standard, and 36g/L, as received. The statistical model obtained for the behavior of the COF during the entire walking cycle may be used in numerical simulations of UHMWPE wear, under the conditions established by ISO 14243-3:2014.

Anionic photofragmentation of CO: a selective probe of core-level resonances.

Anion-yield spectroscopy using x rays is shown to be a selective probe of molecular core-level processes, providing unique experimental verification of shape resonances. For CO, partial anion and cation yields are presented for photon energies near the C K edge. The O- yield exhibits features above threshold related only to doubly excited states, in contrast to cation yields which also exhibit pronounced structure due to the well-known sigma* shape resonance. Because the shape resonance is completely suppressed for O-, anion spectroscopy thus constitutes a highly selective probe, yielding information unobtainable with absorption or electron spectroscopy.