Author(s)

Yu Tian ¹, Wei Chen ¹, Kun Cheng ¹, Zhuohao Sun ¹, Yucheng Ma ¹, Zehao Li ¹, Shuai Wang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China

Corresponding Author

Wei Chen

ABSTRACT

In order to find new artificial hip joint replacement materials with good mechanical properties and wear resistance, one Si₃N₄ (silicon nitride) - based ceramic composite with addition of N-GQDs (which was transformed from nano-lignin precursor in the process) was developed in this study.  The biological wear resistance of the ceramic composite sliding against common polymer medical material (HXLPE, UHMWPE and PEEK) in calf serum solution was systematically studied in this paper. Results showed that, when the ceramic composite slid against HXPLE, a black surface film containing silica gel and N-GQDs formed in the sliding process. The formation of this film effectively inhibited the direct contact between the surface of ceramic and polymer, and the wear rate of HXLPE against the composite was 82% lower than that against single-phase Si₃N₄. The poor wear resistance of HXLPE disc against single-phase Si₃N₄ was mainly attributed to its weak strength and toughness and the absence of N-GQDs. When the ceramic composite slid against UHMWPE and PEEK, due to rough wear surface of the latter two was formed during the sliding process, and no effective protective film formed, so the wear rates of the UHMWPE and PEEK discs were higher than that of HXLPE. In general, the composite has great application potential in the field of artificial hip replacement materials.

KEYWORDS

N-GQDs, Bioceramic, Wear resistance, Artificial joint material

CITE THIS PAPER

Yu Tian, Wei Chen, Kun Cheng, Zhuohao Sun, Yucheng Ma, Zehao Li, Shuai Wang, Bio-tribological properties of GQDs@Si3N4 composite ceramics for hip joint. Journal of Materials, Processing and Design (2024) Vol. 8: 32-45. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jmpd.2024.080204.

REFERENCES

[1] Ashkenazi I, Christensen T, Oakley C, Bosco J, Lajam C, Slover J, et al. Trends in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty Cost, Revenue, and Contribution Margin 2011 to 2021. J Arthroplast. 2023;38: 34-38.
[2] Bernasek TL, Gill M, Herekar R, Lyons ST. Total Joint Replacement, Contemporary Concepts. In: Harrison EE, Ho NH, editors. Managing Cardiovascular Risk In Elective Total Joint Arthroplasty. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2023. p. 7-22.
[3] Allen Q, Raeymaekers B. Surface Texturing of Prosthetic Hip Implant Bearing Surfaces: A Review. J Tribol-Trans ASME. 2021;143: 17.
[4] Kong X, Hu X, Chai W. In vitro & in vivo investigation of the silicon nitride ceramic hip implant's safety and effectiveness evaluation. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. 2022;17: 87.
[5] Webster TJ, Patel AA, Rahaman M, Bal BS. Anti-infective and osteointegration properties of silicon nitride, poly (ether ether ketone), and titanium implants. Acta Biomater. 2012;8: 4447-4454.
[6] Gorth DJ, Puckett S, Ercan B, Webster TJ, Rahaman M, Bal BS. Decreased bacteria activity on Si3N4 surfaces compared with PEEK or titanium. International journal of nanomedicine. 2012: 4829-4840.
[7] Bal BS, Khandkar A, Lakshminarayanan R, Clarke I, Hoffman AA, Rahaman MN. Testing of silicon nitride ceramic bearings for total hip arthroplasty. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials: An Official Journal of The Society for Biomaterials, The Japanese Society for Biomaterials, and The Australian Society for Biomaterials and the Korean Society for Biomaterials. 2008;87: 447-454.
[8] Cappi B, Neuss S, Salber J, Telle R, Knüchel R, Fischer H. Cytocompatibility of high strength non‐oxide ceramics. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A: An Official Journal of The Society for Biomaterials, The Japanese Society for Biomaterials, and The Australian Society for Biomaterials and the Korean Society for Biomaterials. 2010; 93:67-76.
[9] Mazzocchi M, Gardini D, Traverso PL, Faga MG, Bellosi A. On the possibility of silicon nitride as a ceramic for structural orthopaedic implants. Part II: chemical stability and wear resistance in body environment. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine. 2008;19: 2889-2901.
[10] Bal BS, Rahaman MN. Orthopedic applications of silicon nitride ceramics. Acta Biomater. 2012;8: 2889-2898.
[11] Neumann A, Jahnke K, Maier HR, Ragoss C. Biocompatibilty of silicon nitride ceramic in vitro. A comparative fluorescence-microscopic and scanning electron-microscopic study. Laryngo- rhino- otologie. 2004;83: 845-851.
[12] Taylor R, Bernero J, Patel A, Brodke D, Khandkar A. Silicon nitride: a new material for spinal implants.  Orthopaedic Proceedings: Bone & Joint; 2010. p. 133.
[13] Llorente J, Ramírez C, Belmonte M. High graphene fillers content for improving the tribological performance of silicon nitride-based ceramics. Wear. 2019;430: 183-190.
[14] Belmonte M, Ramírez C, Gonzalez-Julian J, Schneider J, Miranzo P, Osendi MI. The beneficial effect of graphene nanofillers on the tribological performance of ceramics. Carbon. 2013;61: 431-435.
[15] Hvizdoš P, Dusza J, Balázsi C. Tribological properties of Si3N4–graphene nanocomposites. Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 2013;33: 2359-2364.
[16] Rutkowski P, Stobierski L, Zientara D, Jaworska L, Klimczyk P, Urbanik M. The influence of the graphene additive on mechanical properties and wear of hot-pressed Si3N4 matrix composites. Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 2015;35: 87-94.
[17] Li J, Yan Q, Zhang X, Zhang J, Cai Z. Efficient conversion of lignin waste to high value bio-graphene oxide nanomaterials. Polymers. 2019;11: 623.
[18] Ishii T, Mori M, Hisayasu S, Tamura R, Ikuta Y, Fujishiro F, et al. Direct conversion of lignin to high-quality graphene-based materials via catalytic carbonization. RSC advances. 2021;11: 18702-18707.
[19] Liu F, Chen Y, Gao JM. Preparation and Characterization of Biobased Graphene from Kraft Lignin. Bioresources. 2017;12: 6545-6557.
[20] Temerov F, Belyaev A, Ankudze B, Pakkanen TT. Preparation and photoluminescence properties of graphene quantum dots by decomposition of graphene-encapsulated metal nanoparticles derived from Kraft lignin and transition metal salts. Journal of Luminescence. 2019;206: 403-411.
[21] Liu W, Ning C, Sang R, Hou Q, Ni Y. Lignin-derived graphene quantum dots from phosphous acid-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment and their application in photocatalysis. Industrial Crops and Products. 2021;171: 113963.
[22] Yan C, Hu X, Guan P, Hou T, Chen P, Wan D, et al. Highly biocompatible graphene quantum dots: green synthesis, toxicity comparison and fluorescence imaging. Journal of materials science. 2020;55: 1198-1215.
[23] Jegannathan P, Yousefi AT, Abd Karim MS, Kadri NA. Enhancement of graphene quantum dots based applications via optimum physical chemistry: a review. Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering. 2018;38: 481-497.
[24] Chen W, Xu E, Zhao Z, Wu C, Zhai Y, Liu X, et al. Study on mechanical and tribological behaviors of GQDs @ Si3N4 composite ceramics. Tribology International. 2023;179.
[25] A WC, A ZZ, A RL, B HL, A NH. Study on self-derived products of nanometer lignin in silicon nitride ceramics during sintering process. 2021. Results in Materials. 12.
[26] Non-active surgical implants - Joint replacement implants - Particular requirements (ISO 21534:2007). 2009.
[27] Implants for surgery — Wear of total hip-joint prostheses — Part 1: Loading and displacement parameters for wear-testing machines and corresponding environmental conditions for test. ISO/TC 150/SC 4; 2014.
[28] Standard Test Method for Wear Testing of Polymeric Materials Used in Total Joint Prostheses. F04.15; 2011.
[29] Implants for surgery — Wear of total hip-joint prostheses — Part 2: Methods of measurement. ISO/TC 150/SC 4; 2016.
[30] Xu J, Kato K. Formation of tribochemical layer of ceramics sliding in water and its role for low friction. Wear: an International Journal on the Science and Technology of Friction, Lubrication and Wear. 2000: 245.
[31] Wang ZR, Li Q, Chen XC, Zhang Q, Wang K. High crystallinity makes excellent wear resistance in crosslinked UHMWPE. Polymer. 2023;280: 7.
[32] Huang YF, Zhang ZC, Xu JZ, Xu L, Zhong GJ, He BX, et al. Simultaneously improving wear resistance and mechanical performance of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene via cross-linking and structural manipulation. Polymer. 2016: 222-231.

Sponsors, Associates, and Links

---

• Forging and Forming
  
  
• Composites and Nano Engineering
  
  
• Metallic foams
  
  
• Smart Structures, Materials and Systems
  
  
• Chemistry and Physics of Polymers
  
  
• Analytical Chemistry: A Journal
  
  
• Modern Physical Chemistry Research
  
  
• Inorganic Chemistry: A Journal
  
  
• Organic Chemistry: A Journal
  
  
• Progress in Materials Chemistry and Physics
  
  
• Transactions on Industrial Catalysis
  
  
• Fuels and Combustion
  
  
• Casting, Welding and Solidification
  
  
• Journal of Membrane Technology
  
  
• Journal of Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering
  
  
• Trends in Biochemical Engineering
  
  
• Ceramic and Glass Technology
  
  
• Transactions on Metals and Alloys
  
  
• High Performance Structures and Materials
  
  
• Rheology Letters
  
  
• Plasticity Frontiers
  
  
• Corrosion and Wear of Materials
  
  
• Fluids, Heat and Mass Transfer
  
  
• International Journal of Geochemistry
  
  
• Diamond and Carbon Materials
  
  
• Advances in Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
  
  
• Advances in Fuel Cell
  
  
• Journal of Biomaterials and Biomechanics