Antioxidant stabilized crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene for medical device applications

An antioxidant-stabilized crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, comprising:

• polyethylene comprising tocopherol or a salt or ester thereof that has reacted with a free-radical on the polyethylene, wherein the polyethylene comprises a repeating unit having Structure A
• wherein
• A1, A2, A3, and A4 are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, a carbon atom from a repeating unit of a polyethylene, a crosslink to a polyethylene, and -T,
• in at least one repeating unit of the polyethylene having Structure A at least one of A1, A2, A3, and A4 is -T, and -T is
• wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of —H and methyl;
• and
• remaining tocopherol having the structure T-H, or a salt or ester thereof;
• wherein the antioxidant-stabilized crosslinked polyethylene has a pin-on-disc wear rate of about 0.02 mg/Mc to about 0.58 mg/Mc.