Biphasic and boundary lubrication mechanisms in artificial hydrogel cartilage: A review

Teruo Murakami; Seido Yarimitsu; Kazuhiro Nakashima; Nobuo Sakai; Tetsuo Yamaguchi; Yoshinori Sawae; Atsushi Suzuki

doi:10.1177/0954411915611160

Biphasic and boundary lubrication mechanisms in artificial hydrogel cartilage: A review

Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2015 Dec;229(12):864-78. doi: 10.1177/0954411915611160.

Authors

Teruo Murakami¹, Seido Yarimitsu², Kazuhiro Nakashima³, Nobuo Sakai⁴, Tetsuo Yamaguchi³, Yoshinori Sawae³, Atsushi Suzuki⁵

Affiliations

¹ Research Center for Advanced Biomechanics, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan tmura@mech.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
² Research Center for Advanced Biomechanics, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan Faculty of System Design, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan.
³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
⁴ Department of Applied Science for Integrated System Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu, Japan.
⁵ Department of Materials Science and Research Institute of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan.

PMID: 26614800
DOI: 10.1177/0954411915611160

Abstract

Various studies on the application of artificial hydrogel cartilage to cartilage substitutes and artificial joints have been conducted. It is expected in clinical application of artificial hydrogel cartilage that not only soft-elastohydrodynamic lubrication but biphasic, hydration, gel-film and boundary lubrication mechanisms will be effective to sustain extremely low friction and minimal wear in daily activities similar to healthy natural synovial joints with adaptive multimode lubrication. In this review article, the effectiveness of biphasic lubrication and boundary lubrication in hydrogels in thin film condition is focused in relation to the structures and properties of hydrogels. As examples, the tribological behaviors in three kinds of poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels with high water content are compared, and the importance of lubrication mechanism in biomimetic artificial hydrogel cartilage is discussed to extend the durability of cartilage substitute.

Keywords: Biphasic lubrication; adaptive multimode lubrication; artificial hydrogel cartilage; biotribology; boundary lubrication; hydrogels.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
Cartilage, Articular / chemistry*
Friction
Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / chemistry*
Lubrication*
Materials Testing
Polyvinyl Alcohol / chemistry
Stress, Mechanical

Substances

Biocompatible Materials
Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate
Polyvinyl Alcohol