Detailed Description
The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described below, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
The invention provides an antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene material which is prepared by polyethylene mixture powder through die filling, sintering, demoulding and electron beam irradiation.
Wherein the polyethylene mixture powder comprises a first mixed powder and a second mixed powder, the first mixed powder is a mixed powder of polyethylene and Vitamin E (VE), and the second mixed powder is a mixed powder of polyethylene and Gallic Acid (GA); the number average molecular weight of the polyethylene is preferably more than or equal to 1000kDa, more preferably 5000-20000 kDa, and specifically 10000-13000 kDa; the mass ratio of the polyethylene to the vitamin E in the first mixed powder is preferably (50-10000): 1, more preferably (500 to 3000): 1 may be specifically 500:1, 600:1, 700:1, 800:1, 900:1, 1000:1, 1100:1, 1200:1, 1300:1, 1400:1, 1500:1, 1600:1, 1700:1, 1800:1, 1900:1, 2000:1, 2100:1, 2200:1, 2300:1, 2400:1, 2500:1, 2600:1, 2700:1, 2800:1, 2900:1, or 3000: 1; the mass ratio of the polyethylene to the gallic acid in the second mixed powder is preferably (50-10000): 1, more preferably (500 to 3000): 1 may be specifically 500:1, 600:1, 700:1, 800:1, 900:1, 1000:1, 1100:1, 1200:1, 1300:1, 1400:1, 1500:1, 1600:1, 1700:1, 1800:1, 1900:1, 2000:1, 2100:1, 2200:1, 2300:1, 2400:1, 2500:1, 2600:1, 2700:1, 2800:1, 2900:1, or 3000: 1; the volume ratio of the first mixed powder to the second mixed powder is preferably (0.5-2): 1, specifically 0.5:1, 0.6:1, 0.7:1, 0.8:1, 0.9:1, 1:1, 1.1:1, 1.2:1, 1.3:1, 1.4:1, 1.5:1, 1.6:1, 1.7:1, 1.8:1, 1.9:1 or 2: 1.
In the present invention, the first mixed powder is preferably prepared according to the following steps: mixing polyethylene, vitamin E and an organic solvent, and drying to obtain first mixed powder; wherein the organic solvent includes, but is not limited to, acetone; the mixing mode is preferably that vitamin E and an organic solvent are uniformly mixed and then are mixed with polyethylene; the drying temperature is preferably 40-80 ℃, and specifically can be 40 ℃, 45 ℃, 50 ℃, 55 ℃, 60 ℃, 65 ℃, 70 ℃, 75 ℃ or 80 ℃; the drying time is preferably 5-14 days, and specifically may be 5 days, 6 days, 7 days, 8 days, 9 days, 10 days, 11 days, 12 days, 13 days or 14 days. The second mixed powder is prepared according to the following steps: mixing polyethylene, gallic acid and an organic solvent, and drying to obtain second mixed powder; wherein the organic solvent includes, but is not limited to, acetone; the mixing mode is preferably that the gallic acid and the organic solvent are uniformly mixed and then are mixed with the polyethylene; the drying temperature is preferably 40-80 ℃, and specifically can be 40 ℃, 45 ℃, 50 ℃, 55 ℃, 60 ℃, 65 ℃, 70 ℃, 75 ℃ or 80 ℃; the drying time is preferably 5-14 days, and specifically may be 5 days, 6 days, 7 days, 8 days, 9 days, 10 days, 11 days, 12 days, 13 days or 14 days.
In the invention, the first mixed powder and the second mixed powder are not blended in the process of filling the mould with the polyethylene mixture powder; after the die filling is finished, forming a first mixed powder layer and a second mixed powder layer in the die, wherein an interface is formed between the two mixed powder layers; the interface can be a plane or an arc surface.
In the present invention, the specific process of sintering preferably includes: sintering the mixed powder filled into the die into blocks under the conditions of heating and pressurizing, maintaining the pressure, annealing and cooling. Wherein the heating temperature is preferably 180-250 deg.C, and specifically 180 deg.C, 185 deg.C, 190 deg.C, 195 deg.C, 200 deg.C, 205 deg.C, 210 deg.C, 215 deg.C, 220 deg.C, 225 deg.C, 230 deg.C, 235 deg.C, 240 deg.C, 245 deg.C or 250 deg.C; the heating time is preferably 1-5 h, and specifically can be 1h, 1.5h, 2h, 2.5h, 3h, 3.5h, 4h, 4.5h or 5 h; the pressurizing pressure is preferably 1-50 MPa, and specifically can be 1MPa, 5MPa, 10MPa, 15MPa, 20MPa, 25MPa, 30MPa, 35MPa, 40MPa, 45MPa or 50 MPa; the temperature of the pressure maintaining annealing is preferably 110-130 ℃, and specifically can be 110 ℃, 115 ℃, 120 ℃, 125 ℃ or 130 ℃; the pressure maintaining annealing time is preferably 0.5-72 h, more preferably 0.5-5 h, and specifically can be 0.5h, 1h, 1.5h, 2h, 2.5h, 3h, 3.5h, 4h, 4.5h or 5 h; the temperature after cooling is preferably room temperature.
In the invention, the electron beam energy of the electron beam irradiation is preferably 3-10 MeV, and specifically can be 3MeV, 3.5MeV, 4MeV, 4.5MeV, 5MeV, 5.5MeV, 6MeV, 6.5MeV, 7MeV, 7.5MeV, 8MeV, 8.5MeV, 9MeV, 9.5MeV or 10 MeV; the single irradiation measurement of the electron beam irradiation is preferably 0.1-5 Mrad, and specifically can be 0.1Mrad, 0.5Mrad, 1Mrad, 1.5Mrad, 2Mrad, 2.5Mrad, 3Mrad, 3.5Mrad, 4Mrad, 4.5Mrad or 5 Mrad; the total irradiation dose of the electron beam irradiation is preferably 2.5-25 Mrad, and specifically may be 2.5Mrad, 3Mrad, 4Mrad, 5Mrad, 6Mrad, 7Mrad, 8Mrad, 9Mrad, 10Mrad, 12Mrad, 15Mrad, 17Mrad, 20Mrad, or 25 Mrad.
The invention also provides a preparation method of the antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene material, which comprises the following steps:
a) preparing a first mixed powder and a second mixed powder; the first mixed powder is mixed powder of polyethylene and vitamin E, and the second mixed powder is mixed powder of polyethylene and gallic acid;
b) respectively filling the first mixed powder and the second mixed powder into a mould, wherein the two mixed powders are not blended; after the filling is finished, forming a first mixed powder layer and a second mixed powder layer in the die, wherein an interface is formed between the two mixed powder layers;
c) sintering the mixed powder filled into the die, and then demoulding to obtain a blank to be irradiated;
d) and performing electron beam irradiation on the blank to be irradiated to obtain the antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene material.
In the preparation method provided by the invention, first mixed powder and second mixed powder are prepared, wherein the first mixed powder is mixed powder of polyethylene and Vitamin E (VE), and the second mixed powder is mixed powder of polyethylene and Gallic Acid (GA); the number average molecular weight of the polyethylene is preferably more than or equal to 1000kDa, more preferably 5000-20000 kDa, and specifically 10000-13000 kDa; the mass ratio of the polyethylene to the vitamin E in the first mixed powder is preferably (50-10000): 1, more preferably (500 to 3000): 1 may be specifically 500:1, 600:1, 700:1, 800:1, 900:1, 1000:1, 1100:1, 1200:1, 1300:1, 1400:1, 1500:1, 1600:1, 1700:1, 1800:1, 1900:1, 2000:1, 2100:1, 2200:1, 2300:1, 2400:1, 2500:1, 2600:1, 2700:1, 2800:1, 2900:1, or 3000: 1; the mass ratio of the polyethylene to the gallic acid in the second mixed powder is preferably (50-10000): 1, more preferably (500 to 3000): specifically, 1 may be 500:1, 600:1, 700:1, 800:1, 900:1, 1000:1, 1100:1, 1200:1, 1300:1, 1400:1, 1500:1, 1600:1, 1700:1, 1800:1, 1900:1, 2000:1, 2100:1, 2200:1, 2300:1, 2400:1, 2500:1, 2600:1, 2700:1, 2800:1, 2900:1, or 3000: 1.
In the preparation method provided by the present invention, the first mixed powder is preferably prepared according to the following steps: mixing polyethylene, vitamin E and an organic solvent, and drying to obtain first mixed powder; wherein the organic solvent includes, but is not limited to, acetone; the mixing mode is preferably that vitamin E and an organic solvent are uniformly mixed and then are mixed with polyethylene; the drying temperature is preferably 40-80 ℃, and specifically can be 40 ℃, 45 ℃, 50 ℃, 55 ℃, 60 ℃, 65 ℃, 70 ℃, 75 ℃ or 80 ℃; the drying time is preferably 5-14 days, and specifically may be 5 days, 6 days, 7 days, 8 days, 9 days, 10 days, 11 days, 12 days, 13 days or 14 days. The second mixed powder is prepared according to the following steps: mixing polyethylene, gallic acid and an organic solvent, and drying to obtain second mixed powder; wherein the organic solvent includes, but is not limited to, acetone; the mixing mode is preferably that the gallic acid and the organic solvent are uniformly mixed and then are mixed with the polyethylene; the drying temperature is preferably 40-80 ℃, and specifically can be 40 ℃, 45 ℃, 50 ℃, 55 ℃, 60 ℃, 65 ℃, 70 ℃, 75 ℃ or 80 ℃; the drying time is preferably 5-14 days, and specifically may be 5 days, 6 days, 7 days, 8 days, 9 days, 10 days, 11 days, 12 days, 13 days or 14 days.
In the preparation method provided by the invention, after the first mixed powder and the second mixed powder are obtained, the first mixed powder and the second mixed powder are respectively filled into a die. Wherein the volume ratio of the first mixed powder to the second mixed powder is preferably (0.5-2): 1, specifically 0.5:1, 0.6:1, 0.7:1, 0.8:1, 0.9:1, 1:1, 1.1:1, 1.2:1, 1.3:1, 1.4:1, 1.5:1, 1.6:1, 1.7:1, 1.8:1, 1.9:1 or 2: 1. In the filling process, the two mixed powders are not mixed; after the filling is finished, forming a first mixed powder layer and a second mixed powder layer in the die, wherein an interface is formed between the two mixed powder layers; the interface can be a plane or an arc surface.
In the preparation method provided by the invention, after the mixed powder is filled, the mixed powder filled in the die is sintered, and then the die is removed, so that the blank to be irradiated is obtained. The specific steps preferably comprise: sintering the mixed powder filled into the die into blocks under the conditions of heating and pressurizing, maintaining pressure, annealing, cooling and demolding to obtain the blank to be irradiated. Wherein the heating temperature is preferably 180-250 deg.C, and specifically 180 deg.C, 185 deg.C, 190 deg.C, 195 deg.C, 200 deg.C, 205 deg.C, 210 deg.C, 215 deg.C, 220 deg.C, 225 deg.C, 230 deg.C, 235 deg.C, 240 deg.C, 245 deg.C or 250 deg.C; the heating time is preferably 1-5 h, and specifically can be 1h, 1.5h, 2h, 2.5h, 3h, 3.5h, 4h, 4.5h or 5 h; the pressurizing pressure is preferably 1-50 MPa, and specifically can be 1MPa, 5MPa, 10MPa, 15MPa, 20MPa, 25MPa, 30MPa, 35MPa, 40MPa, 45MPa or 50 MPa; the temperature of the pressure maintaining annealing is preferably 110-130 ℃, and specifically can be 110 ℃, 115 ℃, 120 ℃, 125 ℃ or 130 ℃; the pressure maintaining annealing time is preferably 0.5-72 h, more preferably 0.5-5 h, and specifically can be 0.5h, 1h, 1.5h, 2h, 2.5h, 3h, 3.5h, 4h, 4.5h or 5 h; the temperature after cooling is preferably room temperature.
In the preparation method provided by the invention, after the blank to be irradiated is obtained, the blank to be irradiated is subjected to electron beam irradiation. The electron beam energy of the electron beam irradiation is preferably 3-10 MeV, and specifically can be 3MeV, 3.5MeV, 4MeV, 4.5MeV, 5MeV, 5.5MeV, 6MeV, 6.5MeV, 7MeV, 7.5MeV, 8MeV, 8.5MeV, 9MeV, 9.5MeV or 10 MeV; the single irradiation measurement of the electron beam irradiation is preferably 0.1-5 Mrad, and specifically can be 0.1Mrad, 0.5Mrad, 1Mrad, 1.5Mrad, 2Mrad, 2.5Mrad, 3Mrad, 3.5Mrad, 4Mrad, 4.5Mrad or 5 Mrad; the total irradiation dose of the electron beam irradiation is preferably 2.5-25 Mrad, and specifically may be 2.5Mrad, 3Mrad, 4Mrad, 5Mrad, 6Mrad, 7Mrad, 8Mrad, 9Mrad, 10Mrad, 12Mrad, 15Mrad, 17Mrad, 20Mrad, or 25 Mrad. And after the electron beam irradiation is finished, obtaining the antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene material.
In the present invention, taking fig. 1-4 as an example, the preparation processes of 4 antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene materials with different structures are provided. Fig. 1 shows a preparation process of a horizontal plane layered antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene material, fig. 2 shows a preparation process of a horizontal arc layered antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene material, fig. 3 shows a preparation process of a vertical plane layered antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene material, and fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a preparation process of a vertical arc layered antioxidant gradient crosslinked polyethylene material.
The technical scheme provided by the invention controls the distribution condition of the two antioxidants in the polyethylene by utilizing the difference of the irradiation crosslinking inhibition degree of the vitamin E and the gallic acid on the polyethylene, so as to obtain the gradient crosslinked polyethylene material. The material has excellent oxidation resistance and higher mechanical property, can obtain high crosslinking on the friction surface of the material to improve the wear resistance, and can obtain low crosslinking in the material to improve the mechanical property, so that the material is very suitable for manufacturing intra-articular implants and prolonging the service life of artificial joints.
For the sake of clarity, the following examples are given in detail.
In the following examples provided by the present invention, the polyethylene resin powder used is a polyethylene resin having a number average molecular weight of 1000 to 1300 kilodaltons.
Example 1
Step (1): adding 100 g of vitamin E into 1L of acetone solvent, uniformly mixing, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, fully mixing, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain first mixed powder; adding 100 g of gallic acid into 1L of acetone solvent, mixing uniformly, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, mixing fully, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain second mixed powder;
step (2): spreading the first mixed powder in a mold to compact, wherein the powder adding amount is about 1/3 of the volume of the mold, and spreading a second mixed powder with the same volume on the upper layer of the first mixed powder;
and (3): placing the mould containing the powder on a hot plate of a flat vulcanizing machine, heating to 240 ℃, pressurizing to 20MPa, keeping the temperature and the pressure unchanged for 2 hours, and sintering the mixture powder into blocks; then cooling to 120 ℃, keeping the pressure unchanged for 1.5 hours, cooling to room temperature, and demoulding to obtain a block blank;
and (4): irradiating the block blank under a 10MeV high-energy electron beam at room temperature to obtain 3Mrad of irradiation dose each time, wherein the total irradiation dose is 9Mrad, and the irradiation dose is measured by a standard irradiation color development film; and (3) vertically irradiating the surface of the sample by using an electron beam during irradiation to ensure that the irradiation on each part of the sample is uniform, and obtaining the antioxidant gradient cross-linked polymer after irradiation, wherein the antioxidant gradient cross-linked polymer is marked as a sample A.
Example 2
Step (1): adding 100 g of vitamin E into 1L of acetone solvent, uniformly mixing, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, fully mixing, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain first mixed powder; adding 100 g of gallic acid into 1L of acetone solvent, mixing uniformly, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, mixing fully, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain second mixed powder;
step (2): spreading the first mixed powder in a mold to compact, wherein the powder adding amount is about 1/3 of the volume of the mold, and spreading a second mixed powder with the same volume on the upper layer of the first mixed powder;
and (3): placing the mould containing the powder on a hot plate of a flat vulcanizing machine, heating to 240 ℃, pressurizing to 20MPa, keeping the temperature and the pressure unchanged for 2 hours, and sintering the mixture powder into blocks; then cooling to 120 ℃, keeping the pressure unchanged for 1.5 hours, cooling to room temperature, and demoulding to obtain a block blank;
and (4): irradiating the block blank under a 10MeV high-energy electron beam at room temperature to obtain 3Mrad of irradiation dose each time, wherein the total irradiation dose is 6Mrad, and the irradiation dose is measured by a standard irradiation color development film; and when in irradiation, the electron beam is vertically irradiated to the surface of the sample, so that the sample is uniformly irradiated, and the antioxidant gradient cross-linked polymer is obtained after irradiation and is marked as a sample A1.
Example 3
Step (1): adding 100 g of vitamin E into 1L of acetone solvent, uniformly mixing, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, fully mixing, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain first mixed powder; adding 100 g of gallic acid into 1L of acetone solvent, mixing uniformly, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, mixing fully, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain second mixed powder;
step (2): spreading the first mixed powder in a mold to compact, wherein the powder adding amount is about 1/3 of the volume of the mold, and spreading a second mixed powder with the same volume on the upper layer of the first mixed powder;
and (3): placing the mould containing the powder on a hot plate of a flat vulcanizing machine, heating to 240 ℃, pressurizing to 20MPa, keeping the temperature and the pressure unchanged for 2 hours, and sintering the mixture powder into blocks; then the temperature is reduced to 120 ℃, the pressure is kept unchanged for 1.5 hours, then the temperature is reduced to room temperature, and a block-shaped blank is obtained after demoulding and is marked as a sample A2.
Example 4
Step (1): adding 50 g of vitamin E into 1L of ethanol solvent, uniformly mixing, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, fully mixing, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain first mixed powder; adding 100 g of gallic acid into 1L of ethanol solvent, mixing uniformly, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, mixing fully, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain second mixed powder;
step (2): simultaneously placing the first mixed powder and the second mixed powder in a volume ratio of 1:1 in a mold separated by a flat sheet in the middle, separating the two mixtures from each other, and drawing out the flat sheet for separation after compaction, wherein the total powder addition amount is about 2/3 of the volume of the mold;
and (3): placing the mould containing the powder on a hot plate of a flat vulcanizing machine, heating to 240 ℃, pressurizing to 20MPa, keeping the temperature and the pressure unchanged for 2 hours, and sintering the mixture powder into blocks; then cooling to 120 ℃, keeping the pressure unchanged for 1.5 hours, cooling to room temperature, and demoulding to obtain a block blank;
and (4): irradiating the block blank under a 10MeV high-energy electron beam at room temperature to obtain 3Mrad of irradiation dose each time, wherein the total irradiation dose is 9Mrad, and the irradiation dose is measured by a standard irradiation color development film; after irradiation, an antioxidant gradient crosslinked polymer was obtained and recorded as sample B.
Example 5
Step (1): adding 300 g of vitamin E into 1L of isopropanol solvent, uniformly mixing, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, fully mixing, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain first mixed powder; adding 100 g of gallic acid into 1L of isopropanol solvent, mixing uniformly, adding 100 kg of polyethylene resin powder, mixing fully, and drying at 60 ℃ for 14 days to obtain second mixed powder;
step (2): simultaneously placing the first mixed powder and the second mixed powder in a volume ratio of 1:1 in a die with the middle separated by a cambered sheet to separate the two mixtures from left and right, and drawing out the cambered sheet for separation after compaction, wherein the total powder adding amount is about 2/3 of the volume of the die;
and (3): placing the mould containing the powder on a hot plate of a flat vulcanizing machine, heating to 240 ℃, pressurizing to 20MPa, keeping the temperature and the pressure unchanged for 2 hours, and sintering the mixture powder into blocks; then cooling to 120 ℃, keeping the pressure unchanged for 1.5 hours, cooling to room temperature, and demoulding to obtain a block blank;
and (4): irradiating the block blank under a 10MeV high-energy electron beam at room temperature to obtain 3Mrad of irradiation dose each time, wherein the total irradiation dose is 9Mrad, and the irradiation dose is measured by a standard irradiation color development film; after irradiation, an antioxidant gradient crosslinked polymer was obtained and recorded as sample C.
Performance comparison
The results of the tests performed on the products prepared in examples 1 to 5 are shown in the following table:
as can be seen from the above table test results, the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene containing gallic acid and vitamin E has several advantages after irradiation crosslinking: 1) the crosslinking degree is distributed in a gradient manner in the block body, the side close to gallic acid has high crosslinking degree under the same irradiation dose, and the side close to vitamin E has low crosslinking degree; 2) higher tensile strength; 3) higher impact strength. Therefore, by utilizing the technology of the invention, the gradient cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene materials with different thicknesses can be designed and obtained by controlling the distribution of two antioxidants in the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, so that the purposes of obtaining high cross-linking on the friction surface of the material to improve the wear resistance and obtaining low cross-linking inside the material to improve the mechanical property are achieved, and the material can be used for manufacturing implants in joints and prolonging the service life of artificial joints.
The foregoing is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and it should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, various modifications and decorations can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these modifications and decorations should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.