Prediction of the frictional behavior of mammalian tissues against biomaterials.

Frictional and adhesion properties are important characteristics to be assessed in the development of new materials for biological applications, particularly for medical devices such as catheters. In this work a new computational method that predicts frictional and adhesive forces is presented. A multi-asperities adhesion model, based on the JKR theory, coupled with a Monte Carlo method was employed, together with a three components friction model. This takes into account interfacial adhesion, asperities deformation and viscous lubricant film shearing action. We have estimated the frictional coefficients of silicone and polyurethane (common materials in catheters) against aorta and vena cava. In order to do this, we have measured the surface properties of the two blood vessels tissues, such as surface energy components, asperity height distribution and asperity radius of curvature. These data have not been previously reported. The predictions in both the dry and in lubricated (with blood) cases are in very good agreement with our published experimental data of the same materials/tissue combinations. 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.