SOLID STATE DEFORMATION PROCESSING OF CROSSLINKED HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYMERIC MATERIALS

摘要

The present invention discloses a method of making a bearing component of a medical implant suitable for use as an artificial joint, the method comprising:
- preheating a crosslinked polymeric bulk material to a temperature 80°C and below the melting point of the polymeric material, wherein the bulk material is characterized by having an axial direction and a transverse direction orthogonal to the axial direction and is further characterized by a dimension d1 in the transverse direction;
- applying deforming pressure to the bulk material to change the dimension from d1 to d2, where d2 is less than d1; and
- machining the bearing component from the extruded bulk material, wherein the load bearing axis of the bearing component corresponds to the axial direction of the crosslinked bulk material. Preferably, the crosslinked polymeric bulk material is crosslinked ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).