Designation:F732−00(Reapproved2011)StandardTestMethodforWearTestingofPolymericMaterialsUsedinTotalJointProstheses1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF732;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope1.1Thistestmethoddescribesalaboratorymethodforevaluatingthewearpropertiesofcombinationsofmaterialsthatarebeingconsideredforuseasbearingsurfacesofhumantotaljointprostheses.Thebodyofthistestmethodcontainsgeneralmethodswhichapplytoalltypesofprosthesiswearapplicationswhileindividualannexesdescribespecificweartestmethodsandclinicalvalidationcriteriatailoredtoeachdistinctwearapplication(forexample,linearreciprocatingmotion,ball-cup(“hip-type”)wear,delaminationwear,etc.).Itistheintentofthistestmethodtorankmaterials,withineachwearapplication,forpolymerwearratesundersimulatedphysiologicalconditions.Itmustberecognized,however,thatcontactgeometriesandwearmotionsaresimplifiedusingsuchmethods.Thistestmethod,therefore,representsonlyaninitialstageinthefullwearcharacterizationofacandidatematerial.1.2Allcandidatematerialsshouldbetestedinanappropri-atejointsimulatorapparatususingprototypeprosthesesbeforebeingusedinclinicaltrialsinpatients.Thetestsdescribedinthistestmethodareusedtoquicklyandreliablyscreenmaterialcombinationsforwearperformanceindifferentorthopaedicwearapplicationspriortocommittingthemtomoreexpensiveandtime-consumingjointsimulatortesting.Inaddition,thesesimplifiedtestscanbeusedtorelatematerial,surfacefinish,orotherparameterstowearbehavioronamorepracticalbasisthanispossibleinjointsimulatortests.1.3ThevaluesstatedineitherSIunitsorinch-poundunitsaretoberegardedseparatelyasstandard.Thevaluesstatedineachsystemmaynotbeexactequivalents;therefore,eachsystemshallbeusedindependentlyoftheother.Combiningvaluesfromthetwosystemsmayresultinnon-conformancewitht...
