Response to fatigue stress of biomedical grade polyethylene joints welded by a diode laser.

Visco, Annamaria; Scolaro, Cristina; Quattrocchi, Antonino; Montanini, Roberto · J Mech Behav Biomed Mater · 2018

biomechanical · Level V

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Abstract

Biomedical grade UHMWPE double lap joint, welded by a diode laser, has been mechanically characterized by static and dynamic tests. A nanocomposite sheet (UHMWPE filled with low carbon nanoparticles amount) was interposed between two polymeric sheets in order to absorb the laser light, sealing the sheets by means of a melting process. Fatigue test has been performed in the joint with 0.016 wt% of carbon nanofiller for its best mechanical static resistance among those studied. Its fatigue limits resulted to be equal to 22000 cycles. Breaks occurred at the 2nd welded interface, where a poor melting process weakens the entire joint.

Medical subject headings