Dispersion fraction enhances cellular growth of carbon nanotube and aluminum oxide reinforced ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene biocomposites

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is widely used as bone-replacement material for articulating surfaces due to its excellent wear resistance and low coefficient of friction. But, the wear debris, generated during abrasion between mating surfaces, leads to aseptic loosening of implants. Thus, various reinforcing agents are generally utilized, which may alter the surface and biological properties of UHMWPE. In the current work, the cellular response of compression molded UHMWPE upon reinforcement of bioactive multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and bioinert aluminum oxide (Al2O3) is investigated. The phase retention and stability were observed using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The reinforcement of MWCNTs and Al2O3 has shown to alter the wettability (from contact angle of ~ 88° ± 2° to ~ 118° ± 4°) and surface energy (from ~ 23.20 to ~ 17.75 mN/m) of composites with respect to UHMWPE, without eliciting any adverse effect on cytocompatibility for the L929 mouse fibroblast cell line. Interestingly, the cellular growth of the L929 mouse fibroblast cell line is observed to be dominated by the dispersion fraction of surface free energy (SFE). After 48 h of incubation period, a decrease in metabolic activity of MWCNT–Al2O3 reinforced composites is attributed to apatite formation that reduces the dispersion fraction of surface energy. The mineralized apatite during incubation was confirmed and quantified by energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction respectively. Thus, the dispersion fraction of surface free energy can be engineered to play an important role in achieving enhanced metabolic activity of the MWCNT–Al2O3 reinforced UHMWPE biopolymer composites.