複合型PVAハイドロゲルの低摩擦メカニズムに関する研究

抄録

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels have been studied for potential applications in artificial cartilage. Compositetype PVA hydrogels (CP gels), which are prepared by combining the freeze-thawing (FT) and cast-drying (CD) methods, have been shown to change their frictional properties depending on the drying conditions. In this study, high-temperature drying time in preparation process of CP gel were varied from 6 hours (CP06), 12 hours (CP12), and 24 hours (CP24), and the mechanism of change in frictional properties with change in drying time was investigated by friction test and adhesion tests. CP06 showed the highest maximum friction coefficient, followed in order by CP 24 and CP12, and the sliding speed (transition speed) at which the maximum friction coefficient was taken was the largest for CP06 and the smallest for CP24. In the adhesion test, CP12, CP06, and CP24 were found to have the smallest adhesion force, in that order. These results suggest that less-crosslinked polymer layer on the topmost surface and higher-order crystalline structure changes depending on the high-temperature drying time and these may affect the frictional behavior of CP gels.