The work deals with the lubrication of total knee replacement using fluorescence microscopy method, which allows unique insight into the contact between femoral and tibial component. The aim was to determine the effect of composition of synovial fluid (i.e. albumin, -globulin, hyaluronic acid and phospholipids) on film thickness and protein behaviour in contact, and also to determine changes of contact area during rotation. Since this is the first experimental work dealing with a knee replacement lubrication primarily, only simple rotation and load cycles were applied by the knee simulator. The output of the experiments was fluorescence intensity, which corresponds to dimensionless film thickness, over time. Another important output are the images directly showing the fluorescently labelled proteins in the contact area. The results show, there are fundamental differences in lubrication in different positions of rotation, due to changes of position, shape and behaviour of the contact area. The composition of the lubricant is also essential, since the proteins themselves form a relatively strong lubricating film and their mixture leads to a substantial reduction of film thickness, due to significant formation of clusters. Complex fluid, although it does not form the strongest layer, is able to create a quite continuous film.

The main goal of this diploma thesis is to determine the role of hyaluron acid and phospholipids on friction and lubrication of articular cartilage in regard to optimization of viscosupplements. This is carried out by measuring the coefficient of friction of the articular cartilage with several lubricants. Cartilage is lubricated particularly by a conventional viscosuplement, optimized viscosuplementation with phospholipids and model synovial fluid. In order to observe the function of those viscosuplements in the human body, both are mixed with the model synovial fluid, ubiquitous in human joints, in given ratio. Experiments revealed high friction when it comes to convectional viscosupplementation as opposed to low friction of the optimized viscosuplement with phospholipids. The same situation occurs when cartilage is lubricated with those viscosuplements mixed with model synovial fluid which might lead to development of a new, better, viscosupplementation based on hyaluron acid and phospholipids.

This master thesis is a part of the project TAČR TREND, which aim is the development of new ingredient for treatment of dry eye syndrome. Developed ingredient is derivative of hyaluronic acid, which is in this thesis compared with native hyaluronic acids and commercial eye drops. Aim of this thesis is to describe rheological and tribological properties of measured samples in terms of viscosity, mucoadhesivity and coefficient of friction. Coefficient of friction was measured on created tribological model of the eye in pin-on-plate configuration which represents physiologically relevant sliding speeds of blinking. Comparison with native hyaluronic acids and commercial products of eye drops showed, that derivative reaches higher values of viscosity, has mucoahesive properties and has low values of coefficient of friction. Those key parameters show that modification of hyaluronic acid is promising way for drug development for dry eye disease.

The development of total hip arthroplasty has reached a state when quality prostheses are made, whose longevity is influenced significantly by material properties, design, component fixation and rate of wear of the articulating surfaces. It is the wear rate which is the most important factor influencing successful results for the use of total hip prostheses. The aim of this thesis is to perform a research on the various combinations of hip prostheses and its loading conditions. Also an experimental measurements of Bovine serum lubricating film thickness between the artificial femoral head and a glass disc are performed for different contact kinematic conditions.

This diploma thesis concerns itself with the experimental study of friction and lubrication in the artificial hip joint depending on the head size. Measurements were made in a hip joint simulator based on the principle of pendulum. For the friction measurements artificial joints, made from three material combinations and two diameters, from two companies were used. The measurements show that the material combination has a more significant effect to friction coefficient than the head size. Using a bigger head size shows a decrease in friction coefficient for all material combinations when compared to a smaller head size. For the measurement of lubrication film the colorimetric interferometry was applied. A metal-on-glass contact pair was used, where the glass cups were made according to the real measurements of the joint cups. Four types of hip replacements with diameters of 28 and 36 mm with two different diametral clearance were measured during a constant motion of 210 seconds. Measurements show, that the lubrication film in the hip joint with a small diametral clearance increases very fast over the 800 nm value. Contact surfaces in the hip joint with a large diametral clearance aren’t separated by the lubrication film, resulting in a damage of the chromium coating in cup. A thick lubrication film results in a higher friction coefficient, when compared with hip joints with a very thin or no lubrication film.

Diploma thesis deals with analysis of coefficient of friction in total hip prosthesis for several materials bearing with presence of bovine serum as substitute of synovial fluid occurred in natural joint. Behavior of coefficient of friction is observed on Mini Traction Machine. Results are plotted at graphs representing dependence of coefficient of friction on time. There are described effects of several kinematic conditions, the influence of used material and the effect of the method of contact lubrication. The experiments analyze how the formation of lubricant film with a layer of adsorbed protein affects coefficient of friction.

This thesis deals with the experimental study of lubrication of hip joint replacements. The influence of the synovial fluid composition and the head material to the lubricating film thickness were asssesed by using a pendulum hip joint simulator. Both of these effects were assesed under static and dynamic loading conditions. The experimental results showed that the movement of the head against the cup is unnecessary for the separation of the rubbing surfaces by a layer of adsorbed proteins. Composition of the synovial fluid then significantly influences the thickness of the lubricating film. Two opposite extremes have been observed during tests with two model synovial fluids. The first fluid formed a very strong lubricating film. The second sample almost prevent adsorption of proteins and consequently formed only very thin lubricating film. The influence of the material is noticeable when comparing the results obtained with a metal head and ceramic heads. Metal head formes under the same conditions thicker lubricating film. This evidence may be partly influenced by different diametrical clearances, which were in the case of ceramic heads higher.

Dizertační práce se zabývá mechanismy mazání v náhradách kyčelního kloubu. Byla provedena systematická studie formování proteinového filmu při zahrnutí různých materiálů a provozních podmínek. Hlavní pozornost je přitom věnována roli jednotlivých proteinů obsažených v synoviální kapalině při současné přítomnosti dalších proteinů. Jelikož metody aplikované v předchozích studiích neumožňovaly separovat jednotlivé složky maziva, byla vyvinuta optická měřící metoda na principu fluorescenční mikroskopie. Z důvodu verifikace metody byly provedeny dvě nezávislé studie zaměřené na měření tloušťky mazacího filmu a dělení maziva na výstupu mazaného kontaktu. Z důvodu určitých limitací fluorescenční mikroskopie byla dále využita i metoda optické interferometrie, jejíž využití je ilustrováno ve studii zabývající se formováním mazacího filmu v náhradách kyčelního klubu při uvažování reálné konformity třecích povrchů. Závěrečná část práce představuje nový metodologický přístup založený na in situ pozorování kontaktní oblasti umožňující popsat roli jednotlivých proteinů ve vztahu k vývoji tloušťky mazacího filmu. Práce obsahuje originální výsledky, které přináší nové poznání v oblasti biotribologie náhrad kyčelního kloubu vedoucí k dalšímu vývoji implantátů při snaze zabránit jejich selhání v důsledku omezené životnosti.

The main objective of this diploma thesis is to determine the influence of synovial fluid compodition and the influence of surface microtextures on lubrication of hip join replacements. For all experiments, hip joint simulator based on the pendulum principle was utilized. Metal heads (CoCrMo) manufactured by B Braun company and and tailor made acetabular cups from optical glass were used as contact couples. Acetabulum dimensions were fabricated according to dimensions of real implants. Experiments with surface microtextures simulated walking cycle for 210 s and development of lubrication film over time was observed.Results have shown that all types of tested structures improved lubrication of contact area, where the best results were obtained for square and triangle shapes respectively. Second set of experiments was based on the fact, that the composition of synovial fluid of healthy people differs from the composition of patients with various stages of osteoarthritis. Therefore, experiments with different model fluids were compared, which in their composition correspond to different groups of patients. For the model fluid that corresponds to the largest number of cases, experiments with individual components and combinations thereof were subsequently performed to provide a more detailed description of how these components affect the film-forming mechanism. The results show, that a change in fluid composition of patients with osteoarthritis can have a major negative effect on fluid formation process within the pair.

This master’s thesis describes mechanism of lubricating film forming and its thickness in contact of a metal hip joint ball and a glass disc with chromium layer with presence of bovine serum as substitute of synovial fluid occured in a natural joint. Lubricating film thickness is evaluated by a thin film colorimetric interferometry, results are ploted at graphs representing dependence of lubricating film thickness on experiment duration or on mutual speed of articulating surfaces. There is described the influence of concentration of bovine serum and different kinematic conditions on lubricating film forming. From observed interferograms is apparent the adsorption of proteins to glass disc and femoral head surfaces, denaturation and formation of protein aggregations affecting the residual lubricating film thickness.