Small Punch Testing for Characterization of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Used in Total Joint Replacements

Gamma sterilization results in temporally and spatially inhomogeneous density distributions through the thickness of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) components for total joint replacement [1]. Conventional approaches to estimate the through-thickness distribution of mechanical properties in total joint replacement components have relied on empirical correlations between local measurements of density and these properties [2].