Abstract The effects of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) as a filler on the tribological and mechanical properties of two biocompatible epoxies were studied. SU-8 and Structalit 8801 (a trade name) were the two biocompatible epoxies selected for this investigation. UHMWPE powder (40–48 μm particle size) was added to the selected epoxies to tailor their mechanical and tribological properties. In dry sliding tests, after adding 25 wt% of UHMWPE particles, the coefficient of friction (COF) was reduced by 79 and 67% for SU-8 and Structalit, respectively, and the specific wear rate was reduced by 92 and 58% for SU-8 and Structalit, respectively. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis conducted on the samples indicated that there was no chemical bonding between UHMWPE fillers and the epoxy matrices. A biocompatibility test conducted on SU-8 cured with the hardener confirmed that the samples were not cytotoxic. In addition, it was noted that the ductility ratio of SU-8 and Structalit increased by 71 and 40%, respectively, with the addition of UHMWPE. These novel composites can find applications as biomaterials for tribologically demanding applications such as hip–knee joint implants, dental implant, etc.

中文翻译：

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UHMWPE填料对生物相容性环氧树脂摩擦学和机械性能的影响

摘要 研究了超高分子量聚乙烯 (UHMWPE) 作为填料对两种生物相容性环氧树脂的摩擦学和机械性能的影响。SU-8 和 Structalit 8801（商品名）是本次调查选择的两种生物相容性环氧树脂。将 UHMWPE 粉末（40-48 μm 粒径）添加到选定的环氧树脂中以调整其机械和摩擦学性能。在干滑动试验中，加入25wt%的UHMWPE颗粒后，SU-8和Structalit的摩擦系数（COF）分别降低了79%和67%，比磨损率降低了92%和58%。分别是 SU-8 和 Structalit。对样品进行的傅里叶变换红外 (FTIR) 分析表明 UHMWPE 填料和环氧树脂基质之间没有化学键。对用固化剂固化的 SU-8 进行的生物相容性测试证实样品没有细胞毒性。此外，还注意到随着 UHMWPE 的加入，SU-8 和 Structalit 的延展率分别增加了 71% 和 40%。这些新型复合材料可用作生物材料，用于对摩擦学要求较高的应用，例如髋膝关节植入物、牙科植入物等。