Advanced preclinical testing of modern joint replacements.

Preclinical mechanical and tribological joint simulation is a gateway technology for the safe introduction of medical devices like total hip replacements. Regulatory challenges now dictate that new devices are tested under more physiologically representative conditions, owing to a spate of high-profile clinical failures. Understanding the tribological performance of these bearings is an ever-challenging problem due to dynamic loads and speeds, aggressive biological environment, wear debris, material degradation, and material microstructural changes. Quantifying the evolution of all device interfaces over time is critical as it can directly affect the performance of components and can have a negative impact on product lifespan and the patient.

The aim of this studentship will be to utilise in-situ monitoring and advanced mechanical testing of tribological systems to better understand the performance of modern total hip replacement devices, evolution of the bearing contact, and the progression of degradation processes over time. Objectives include:

• To develop an experimental framework with multi-modal in-situ sensing techniques, capable of fully characterising material degradation.

• Correlation of sensor signals to ex-situ analysis of material surfaces and generated lubricant products following long-term tribological articulation.

• Scale up of assessment from simplified 2D tribological contacts to complex full-component configurations under representative operating routines.

The project will be in close collaboration with a medical device manufacturer working towards introduction of a novel device. Please contact Dr A. R. Beadling (a.r.beadling@bham.ac.uk) for more information.