ABSTRACT

The field of biomimetics is a smart research line in which modern technologies are
linked in order to reproduce natural elements, mimicking nature`s ability of solving
problems. Tomorrow`s materials are constantly being developed in the field of lubrication,
since more often modern cars require efficient and economical combustion engines,
without causing much harm to the environment. Water-based lubricants, such as the
synovial fluid in the human body, has shown to be an interesting alternative to the
traditional oils, due to its satisfactory tribological properties and lubrication regimes.
Surfaces able to adapt to different load cycles, as with synovial joint surfaces, can provide
less friction and wear which culminate in energy savings.

INTRODUCTION

The human nature has evolved throughout the years as a way of adapt to the
constantly changing environment. The engineering has tried to mimic many biological
systems, bearing in mind its notable properties and its hierarchical multiscale organization.
Differently of man-made devices, those systems grow without final design specifications: they
develop themselves according to a genetic recipe present in their DNA.

Biological materials, such as the natural lubricant present in the synovial joint, the
synovial fluid, inspired many researchers to work on projecting its tribological properties in
wear machine components. Automotive engines, for instance, could develop new lubricant
systems more economical and environmentally friendly, when compared to the traditional
lubricant oils.

Although the operation conditions are considerable different, the functionality can be
mimicked, and some properties of the synovial fluid can be applied considering the
unquestionable efficiency and reliability of the human nature.
PART ONE – THE SYNOVIAL FLUID

Before studying the actual application of mimicking the synovial fluid used as
lubricant by the human body and the rheological properties involved, it is of utmost
importance to have a basic understanding in the anatomy and the biochemical composition
of the synovial joint and the important role played by this liquid. [3]

The joints in the human body can be assumed to be like “dynamic living bearing”, due
to its outstanding capacity of upstand a various range of loads. The articular cartilage is a soft
living layer between the surfaces of a joint which can adapt to changes in load, due to its very
anisotropic and inhomogeneous character. It is a porous viscoelastic structure mainly made
of collagen, proteoglycans – proteins with polysaccharide attached – and water (more than
80%). The collagen and the proteoglycans form a solid strong matrix, giving the articular
cartilage the strength required to upstand mechanical forces several times higher than the
body weight, even in simply daily activities such as walking. [3] [5]

Figure 1 - [9] The Synovial joint

However, the lack of lubricants can cause cartilage wear and even result in a
degenerative joint disease, the osteoarthritis. Thus, over the years, the human nature has
developed a natural lubricant for the synovial joint, responsible for reducing the friction
between the asperities of the concerned surfaces. The synovial fluid is a dialysate of blood
plasma made of water (majority), long chain protein molecules, hyaluronic acid and
phospholipids. The hyaluronic acid works as the main lubricant (retain water); the protein
chains have the actual load bearing capacity and the phospholipids are responsible for the
boundary lubrication, which will be further discussed. [5]

The friction and wear present in this joint can be divided into two categories: In a
macroscale, the asperity contacts give rise to a friction force proportional to the normal load
(F=µW), where the friction coefficient varies between 0.005 and 0.5 depending on the
operation conditions and the lubrication regime; In a microscale, surface adhesion forces such
as van der walls, molecular forces or the capillary action are responsible for the friction and
wear. [5]

The synovial joint is less constrained when compared to the spine (cartilaginous) and
the skull (fibrous) joints, and its flexibility has inspired many works in the field of regenerative
medicine [5] and lubricated bearings [1]. Bearing in mind the porous matrix of the articular
cartilage, which allows fluid to flow through its cells, the lubrication mechanism is regulated
by interstitial fluid pressurization of the hydrated tissue. As a result of applying mechanical
load to the tissue, the interstitial fluid of the cartilage will pressurize and flow through its
pores. This mechanism reduces the load in the interface between two opposing articular
cartilage surfaces. [8]

The lubrication layers can be divided into two categories according to their thickness:
thick film of fluid (fluid lubrication) or boundary lubrication, which is a thinner monolayer
formed at least at one of the sliding surfaces.

When it comes to fluid lubrication, there are three different lubrication regimes which
control the friction in the synovial joint. The hydrostatic regime happens due to external
pressurization (pumping lubricant into the interfacial space). The hydrodynamic regime takes
into account the motion between the surfaces (relative velocity) and depends on the bearing
geometry, the topography (roughness), the shear rate, the viscosity and the normal load. The
elastohydrodynamic regime is characterized by the self-generated pressure by the fluid which
causes elastic deformation of the surfaces. [10]
 The human joints usually mix these forms of lubrication, since the conditions may vary
according to the stimulus that is submitted to the cartilage. For normal activities, such as
walking, the synovial fluid obey to a mixed lubrication regime (with properties varying
between boundary and fluid lubrication). The transition between the regimes depends on the
surface roughness and film thickness, which are function of viscosity, sliding speed and the
normal load applied. The lubrication regimes are shown below. [10] [8]

Figure 2 - [10] The lubrication regimes

PART TWO – MIMICKING THE SYNOVIAL FLUID

The main goal that is trying to achieve is to link the biotechnologies seen in the
synovial joints previously studied, in the realm of lubricants, with the modern engineering
components, such as the combustion systems present in automobiles. Mimicking those
rheological properties into engineering applications is a complex task, especially because the
operating conditions are highly different, as table 1 shows. For example, while the human
joint experiences around 75 million of loading cycles over the lifetime, a car engine
experiences 220 million of loading cycles. [3]

Table 1 - [3] Tribological parameters of joints compared with those in engine components

However, the mechanism of lubrication itself, the lubrication liquid components and
their many properties can be developed by imitating the functionality of synovial joints.
Nowadays, changes in legislation have required greener efficient lubricant systems which
release less carbon dioxide to the environment. [3]
 Traditional lubricant systems were develop by adding add chemical additives in oils in
order to provide better tribological properties, such as wear protection and friction reduction.
Even in attempts to improve the lubrication and achieve fuel economy, oils like SAE10 and
SAE20 had success and have reduced the amount of CO2 released to the atmosphere. “Water
based systems”, such as the synovial fluid, are much more environmentally friendly and
economical than this “old” materials. One of the main reasons for that lays in the fact that
the synovial fluid has a lower viscosity than the traditional used oils, what accounts for less
friction in the hydrodynamic regime. It is important to notice that, while the synovial fluid
does not change its viscosity with changes in pressure, the engineering oils experiment an
increase in viscosity due to an increase in pressure. [3]

Hence, the objective is to design engineering components which could function as the
synovial joints under different conditions. This system should achieve low friction coefficients
such as the ones experimented by mammalian joints, even in high speeds and temperatures.
The synovial joint has shown a friction coefficient between it surfaces in the range of 0.002 to
0.006 in low speeds and temperatures. (The typical engineering boundary values are around
0.12). The figure 3 illustrates the comparison in scale between the two systems. [3]

Figure 3 - [3] Friction in mammalian joints in scale with friction in internal combustion engine tribological systems
 Other important insight to be inspired on the synovial joints is the ability of the
surface to adapt mechanically to variations in load without external control, such as
electrical or chemical devices. [1]

As was said previously, the inhomogeneous and anisotropic character of the fibrous
matrix which compose the articular cartilage can provide notorious flexibility to the joint
surfaces. They deform according to changes in load, in order to maintain a constant value of
height and tilt. Studies have been made by Robert L. Jackson and Jiang Lei on these
lubricated and grooved biomimetic self-adapting surfaces, and it was found that the surface
texture can change depending on the load applied. [1]

The new bearing and sliding surface technologies which have been researched
intend to minimize the friction, through self-adapting step bearings and moveable insets
connected by springs that respond due to changes in load. When the surfaces undergo a
certain load, their microscale profiles generate a “hydrodynamic lift” responsible to adjust
the new asperity and reduce wear and friction between the surfaces. The self-adapting
mechanism bring financial savings since there is no need for electronically or hydraulically
controlled bearings, which cost much more than this system. The figure 4 illustrates the
mechanism. [1]

Figure 4 - [1] Lubricated and Grooved Biomimetic Self-Adapting surface

CONCLUSIONS

As previously discussed, mimicking the beneficial properties of the lubrication

system present in the synovial joint is not a simple task, and requires a critical evaluation of
the differences between the engineering operation conditions and the human body. Still,
the functionality and the material components of the synovial fluid can be successfully
reproduced, by developing a porous matrix which allows water based lubricants to flow
through it pores as in the articular cartilage. The main challenge is to generate a greener
lubrication mechanism as an alternative to the traditional lubricant oils, able to adapt to
changes in load, velocity or temperature, migrating from the boundary to the hydrodynamic
lubrication efficiently as the synovial joint.

By building up lubricated and grooved biomimetic self-adapting surfaces, with

hydrodynamically controlled bearings, it is possible to mimic this self-adapting mechanism
and bring gains in energy saving and lower the burden disposed to the environment.

Nevertheless, the development of lubrication systems with a performance similar to

the biological joints will require a lot of research in the area, whether in the development of
new materials or in new surface engineering techniques, and the practical implementation it
will only be possible in a near future. [11]
REFERENCES

[1] Robert L. Jackson and Jiang Lei, Hydrodynamically Lubricated and Grooved Biomimetic
Self-Adapting Surfaces, 2014

[2] www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/joints-chapter-9

[3] A. Neville, A. Morina, T. Liskiewicz, Y. Yan, Synovial Joint Lubrication – does nature teach
more effective engineering lubrication strategies?, 2007

[4] Zhenhuan Zhang and Gordon F. Christopher, The nonlinear viscoelasticity of hyaluronic
acid and its role in joint lubrication, 2015

[5] COREY P. NEU, KYRIAKOS KOMVOPOULOS and A. HARI REDDI, The Interface of Functional
Biotribology and Regenerative Medicine in Synovial Joints

[6] Michael Nosonovsky and Bharat Bhushan, Green Tribology: Biomimetics, Energy
conservation and Sustainability

[7] C.A Brebbia, Design and Nature IV: Comparing design in nature with science and
engineering

[8] Gerard A. Ateshian, The Role of Interstitial Fluid Pressurization in Articular Cartilage
Lubrication, 2010

[9] T.A Schmidt, R.L Sah, Effect of synovial fluid on boundary lubrication of articular cartilage

[10] Javier Sotres and Thomas Arnebrant, Experimental Investigations of Biological

Lubrication at the Nanoscale: The Cases of Synovial Joints and the Oral Cavity, 2013

[11] www.jsme.orjp/InnovationCenter/images/baio2.pdf, Energy Saving through Emulation

of Low-friction Biological Joints