Comparison and Analysis on Frictional Characteristics of Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Hydrogel and Human Articular Cartilage

An oscillator-type tribometer was used to determine the friction factor of lubricated sliding pairs made of poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel / poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel and human articular cartilage/poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel respectively, and the research of the lubricating mechanism was carried out according to their Stri-beck curves. The experimental results show that when the hyaluronic acid (HA) is used as an artifical synovial fluid, poly (vinyl alcohol) has similar frictional characteristics with human articular cartilage and the friction factor of poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel / poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel is smaller than that of human articular cartilage / poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel. According their Stribeck curves it is concluded that their lubricating mechanisms are both liquid film lubricate.