Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight-Polyethylene (UHMWPE) as a Promising Polymer Material for Biomedical Applications: A Concise Review

Muzamil Hussain; Rizwan Ali Naqvi; Naseem Abbas; Shahzad Masood Khan; Saad Nawaz; Arif Hussain; Nida Zahra; Muhammad Waqas Khalid

doi:10.3390/polym12020323

Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight-Polyethylene (UHMWPE) as a Promising Polymer Material for Biomedical Applications: A Concise Review

Polymers (Basel). 2020 Feb 4;12(2):323. doi: 10.3390/polym12020323.

Authors

Muzamil Hussain^{1

2}, Rizwan Ali Naqvi³, Naseem Abbas⁴, Shahzad Masood Khan², Saad Nawaz⁵, Arif Hussain⁶, Nida Zahra⁷, Muhammad Waqas Khalid⁸

Affiliations

¹ Mechanical Engineering Department, NFC Institute of Engineering and Technology, Multan 60000, Pakistan.
² Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 42000, Pakistan.
³ Department of Unmanned Vehicle Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Korea.
⁴ School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Korea.
⁵ Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology Lahore, KSK-Campus, Sheikhupura 39350, Pakistan.
⁶ Department of Mechanical Convergence Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea.
⁷ Department of Physics, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.
⁸ Biomedical Engineering Technology Department, NFC Institute of Engineering and Technology, Multan 60000, Pakistan.

Abstract

Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used in biomedical applications due to its high wear-resistance, ductility, and biocompatibility. A great deal of research in recent decades has focused on further improving its mechanical and tribological performances in order to provide durable implants in patients. Several methods, including irradiation, surface modifications, and reinforcements have been employed to improve the tribological and mechanical performance of UHMWPE. The effect of these modifications on tribological and mechanical performance was discussed in this review.

Keywords: biomedical materials; coefficient of friction (COF); irradiation; surface modifications; tribological performance; ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

Publication types

Review