Wear analysis of cross-linked polyethylene inserts articulating with alumina and ion-treated cobalt-chromium femoral heads under third-body conditions

The mean gravimetric wear rates of the polyethylene inserts under third-body wear conditions measured 16.57 ± 5.98 mg per million cycles when coupled with nitrogen ion-treated CoCr heads and 15.14 ± 3.30 mg per million cycles with alumina ceramic heads. The results revealed no significant differences between the material pairings. The amount of wear was approximately eight times higher in both cases than that resulting under standard wear test conditions. In the microscopic analysis, the ceramic femoral heads showed higher resistance against abrasive third-body wear.