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Laser treatment of the surfaces of small human joints
Křístek, Mikuláš ; Odehnal, Lukáš (referee) ; Ranuša, Matúš (advisor)
Nowadays, in osteoarthritis of small joints, total endoprostheses are used to ensure physiological movement; unfortunately, the durability of these joint implants is very limited. The most frequent wear occurs in the contact area of the implants with the articulating surface. The use of microtextures appears to be beneficial in influencing tribological properties, but this issue is not well described. This bachelor thesis investigates the effect of different microtextures on the coefficient of friction, the movement of proteins in the synovial fluid in the contact area, wear, and the surface topography. Measurements were made using a reciprocal tribometer, optical profilometry and fluorescence observation. The textured samples achieved an increase in the coefficient of friction in the contact region. The results show that surface texturing can significantly affect the coefficient of friction in the contact region, which contributes to the reduction of wear and extension of endoprosthesis life.
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