Abstract
An extendable prosthesis for implantation in a human leg has been developed. The friction forces during extension of the prosthesis must be low, so a coating of Teflon-S was applied to the sliding surfaces. During walking, damage can occur as a result of oscillatory relative motion. Therefore experiments were performed with an apparatus which simulated this type of motion. It was found that the coefficient of friction reached a maximum value within one million movement cycles. This maximum value of the coefficient of friction increased with decreasing coating thickness. Even at an initial coating thickness of less than 1 μm, coating with Teflon-S was found to be very effective in reducing friction.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 346-350 |
Journal | Tribology international |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1990 |
Keywords
- Friction coefficient
- Extendable prosthesis
- Teflon-S
- Oscillatory relative motion