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A novel technique for the detailed size characterization of wear debris

Elfick, A.P.; Green, S.M.; Pinder, I.M.; Unsworth, A.

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Authors

A.P. Elfick

S.M. Green

I.M. Pinder

A. Unsworth



Abstract

The accurate and detailed characterization of artificial joint wear debris is important in determining both the wear rate of prostheses and understanding the role that the debris plays in the development and progression of aseptic loosening. The novel application of low angle laser light scattering (LALLS) to the particle size characterization of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear debris is described. The results demonstrate that both ex vivo and in vitro origin wear debris samples, at concentrations typical of those produced via an alkali-digestion retrieval route, can be reproducibly analyzed via LALLS. Because the LALLS route enables particle size analysis of the entire debris sample to be acquired non-destructively and whilst in suspension, artefacts associated with filtering, drying and agglomeration of debris are avoided, in contrast to currently used techniques such as filtration and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation.

Citation

Elfick, A., Green, S., Pinder, I., & Unsworth, A. (2000). A novel technique for the detailed size characterization of wear debris. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 11(5), 267-271. https://doi.org/10.1023/a%3A1008992911775

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date May 1, 2000
Deposit Date Jun 3, 2016
Publicly Available Date Jun 7, 2016
Journal Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine
Print ISSN 0957-4530
Electronic ISSN 1573-4838
Publisher Springer
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 11
Issue 5
Pages 267-271
DOI https://doi.org/10.1023/a%3A1008992911775

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Copyright Statement
Reprinted from Journal of materials science : materials in medicine, 11(5), 2000, 267-271, with permission of Kluwer Law International.




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