Fibre Reinforced Composites: a Promising Material for Artificial Limp

Abstract

This paper outlines some of the recent reports published in literature on composites with special emphasis on mechanical properties of fibre reinforced composites for artificial limp/prostheses. As a result of the increasing demand for environmentally friendly materials and the desire to reduce the cost of traditional fibres reinforced petroleum-based composites, new bio-based composites have been developed. Researchers have begun to focus attention on natural fibre composites (i.e. biocomposites), which are composed of natural or synthetic resins, reinforced with natural fibres. Natural fibres exhibit many advantageous properties, they are a low-density material yielding relatively lightweight composites with high specific properties. These fibres also offer significant cost advantages and ease of processing along with being a highly renewable resource, in turn reducing the dependency on foreign and domestic petroleum oil. In the present scenario sustainable alternatives to conventional/traditional materials, specifically glass fibres, to be used within the lamination of prosthetic sockets. Natural fibres are known and compared to artificial fibres to see their viability through the subsequent measures: mechanical properties, environmental effects, health hazards, and overall feasibility.