Abstract:

Hydrogel has been extensively studied as an articular cartilage repair and replacement material. PVA-HA-Silk composite hydrogel was prepared by freezing-thawing method in this paper. Mechanical properties were determined by experiments and the friction coefficient of PVA-HA-Silk composite hydrogel against steel ball was verified using micro-tribometer. Finite Element Method (FEM) was used to study the lubrication mechanism of PVA-HA-Silk composite hydrogel and the relation between the interstitial fluid load support and the start-up friction resistance. The results show that the elastic modulus and the permeability are 2.07 MPa and 10−15m4N−1s−1, respectively, and the start-up friction coefficients of PVA-HA-Silk composite hydrogel are in the range of 0.15–0.2 at different contact loads, contact time and sliding speeds. The start-up friction resistance of PVA-HA-Silk composite hydrogel increases with the contact load and contact time. With the increase in sliding speed, the start-up friction resistance of PVA-HA-Silk composite hydrogel decreases. There is an inverse relation between the start-up friction resistance and the interstitial fluid load support. The change of fluid flow with the increase in sliding displacement has an important effect on the interstitial fluid load support and friction resistance. The interstitial fluid load support decreases with the increase in contact load and contact time, while the interstitial fluid load support reinforces with the increase in sliding speed. Moreover, PVA-HA-Silk composite hydrogel has mechanical properties of recovery and self-lubricating.

Key words: PVA-HA-Silk composite hydrogel, friction, FEM, the interstitial fluid load support, lubrication