Pengaruh Radiasi Gamma pada Sifat Mekanik dan Termal Komposit UHMWPE-HAp untuk Tibial Tray

Abstract

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is commonly used as a bearing material (tibial tray) on artificial knee joint. Wearing of UHMWPE is a major problem in using it as tibial tray, thus we need to modify UHMWPE to enhance the mechanical strength. The objectives of this research are preparing composites of UHMWPE-HAp by mechanical alloying and hot press method as the raw materials for tibial tray and modifying mechanical and thermal properties of composites using gamma rays. The composites were prepared using various HAp loading ratios at 5, 10, and 15%. The composite films were irradiated using gamma rays at doses of 0, 25, 50, and 75 kGy. The effect of HAp loaded and gamma radiation on mechanical and thermal properties of materials were studied by various methods (hardness test, tensile test, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry). The results showed that the addition of HAp could enhance the hardness of UHMWPE by 8-15% and enhanced the maximum stress up to 38%. Gamma irradiation could enhance the crystallinity by 113-172%, melting point by 0,6-0,7%, and decrease break elongation of composites by 23-48%.