Articular cartilage damage is a widespread health problem that causes pain and disability to affected patients. Repairing articular cartilage is extremely difficult due to its avascular and aneural nature. This thesis project focuses on the study of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a biomaterial capable of replacing damaged cartilage tissue. Specifically, hydrogels obtained in three different weight concentrations of PVA on water (15 wt%, 20 wt% and 25 wt%) were compared and friction tests were carried out under different conditions in order to determine its tribological characteristics. Specifically, four normal loading conditions (5 N, 10 N, 15 N and 20 N) and two different polymer hydration methods (with saline or hyaluronic acid) were compared. The results obtained in the present study confirm the observations reported in the literature and demonstrate that PVA hydrogels in the presence of hyaluronic acid exhibit a friction coefficient comparable to that of natural articular cartilage, thus they can be considered valid substitutes for cartilage tissue.
Il danneggiamento della cartilagine articolare è un problema di salute molto diffuso, che causa dolore e disabilità ai pazienti interessati. Riparare la cartilagine articolare è estremamente difficile a causa della sua natura avascolare e aneurale. Questo progetto di tesi si concentra sullo studio di alcool polivinilico (PVA) quale biomateriale in grado di sostituire il tessuto cartilagineo danneggiato. In particolare, sono stati confrontati hydrogel ottenuti in tre diverse concentrazioni in peso di PVA su acqua (15 wt%, 20 wt% e 25 wt%) e sono state eseguite prove d’attrito in diverse condizioni con lo scopo di determinarne le caratteristiche tribologiche. Specificatamente, si sono confrontate 4 condizioni di carico normale (5 N, 10 N, 15 N e 20 N) e due diversi metodi di idratazione del polimero (con soluzione fisiologica o con acido ialuronico). I risultati ottenuti nel presente studio confermano le osservazioni riportate in letteratura e dimostrano che gli hydrogel di PVA in presenza di acido ialuronico presentano un coefficiente d’attrito paragonabile a quello della cartilagine articolare naturale, pertanto possono essere considerati validi sostituti del tessuto cartilagineo.
Caratterizzazione del comportamento tribologico di cartilagine artificiale a base di alcool polivinilico
TOMASELLI, ELENA
2023/2024
Abstract
Articular cartilage damage is a widespread health problem that causes pain and disability to affected patients. Repairing articular cartilage is extremely difficult due to its avascular and aneural nature. This thesis project focuses on the study of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a biomaterial capable of replacing damaged cartilage tissue. Specifically, hydrogels obtained in three different weight concentrations of PVA on water (15 wt%, 20 wt% and 25 wt%) were compared and friction tests were carried out under different conditions in order to determine its tribological characteristics. Specifically, four normal loading conditions (5 N, 10 N, 15 N and 20 N) and two different polymer hydration methods (with saline or hyaluronic acid) were compared. The results obtained in the present study confirm the observations reported in the literature and demonstrate that PVA hydrogels in the presence of hyaluronic acid exhibit a friction coefficient comparable to that of natural articular cartilage, thus they can be considered valid substitutes for cartilage tissue.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/66510