An artificial articular cartilage is being investigated for use in joint replacement. The low elastic modulus lining on the bearing surface is used to promote a continuous lubricant film between the articulating surfaces and hence reduce both friction and wear.

Polyvinyl formal (PVF) as an artificial articular cartilage was proposed to prolong the service life of joint replacement. The major raw material of the PVF was a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel, which was one of the few polymers with hydrophilic properties. It is anticipated to realize a wide range of clinical applications due to its high water-holding capacity and high biocompatibility. However, a major problem with PVA hydrogel is its low wear resistance. The PVF was made by performing a chemical cross-linking reaction in PVA, and its pore diameter, porosity, and beam density could be controlled by varying the concentrations of cross-linking agent (formaldehyde) and catalyst (sulfuric acid).

The knee joint simulator was used for investigating the wear performance of the PVF. The load and motion cycles were taken from ISO 14243-3. The peak load was 2.6 kN, and the walking cycle was 1.0 seconds. The lower PVF specimen represented the flat tibial component of the joint, and the femoral component was artificial knee joint which made from Co-Cr-Mo alloy. The lubricant was a waterbased liquid containing the principal constituents of synovial fluid.

The PVF survived for more than 1.0 million cycles. Enlargement of the PVF creep deformation by prolongation of simulating time was not obvious. Although the tribological property in fatigue wear produced by ploughing friction was inadequate, it was obvious that the PVF was a potential material for developing a load bearing system with hydration lubrication.