title: The development of artificial articular cartilage--PVA-hydrogel.
abstract: Aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol) solutions were frozen at -20 degrees C for 6-12 h, and subsequently thawed for 1-2 h. The above mentioned process repeated for 1-3 times. After the specimen was dehydrated in vacuum, a kind of artificial articular cartilage--PVA-hydrogel--was developed. The micromorphology of PVA-hydrogel has been observed by means of optical microscopy and SEM. DSC and mechanical tests have been employed to investigate the influence of freezing, thawing, dehydrating and irradiating upon the crystallinity and the mechanical properties of PVA-hydrogel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Corrosion Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: X H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000737:chemistry*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D003460:Crystallization; D003461:Crystallography; D003890:Desiccation; D005615:Freezing; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008422:Materials Testing; D008832:Microchemistry; D008853:Microscopy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012995:Solubility; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D020100:Hydrogels; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol