Tribological efficacy and stability of phospholipid-based membrane lubricants in varying pH chemical conditions
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Date
2016-01-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
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Biointerphases
Abstract
In this study, the authors examine the influence of joint chemical environment by measuring
changes in the tribological properties (friction coefficient and charge density) of contacting
surfaces of normal and degenerated cartilage samples in bath solutions of varying pH (2.0–9.0).
Bovine articular cartilage samples (n¼54) were subjected to several surface measurements,
including interfacial energy, contact angle, and friction coefficient, at varying pH. The samples
were delipidized and then subjected to the same measurement protocols. Our results reveal that the
interfacial energy and charge density, which have been shown to be related to friction coefficient,
decrease with pH in the acidic range and approach constant values at physiological (or synovial
fluid) pH of 7.4 and beyond it, i.e., toward basic pH domain. The authors conclude that this rather
complex response explains the long-term efficacy with respect to ageing and associated pH
changes, of the phospholipid layers that facilitate the almost frictionless, hydration–lubrication
involving contact in the mammalian musculoskeletal system.
Description
Staff Publication
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Citation
Pawlak, Z., Urbaniak, W., Afara, I. O., Yusuf, K. Q., Banaszak-Piechowska, A., & Oloyede, A. (2016). Tribological efficacy and stability of phospholipid-based membrane lubricants in varying pH chemical conditions. Biointerphases, 11(1), 019002. doi:10.1116/1.4939246