Investigation of Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of Flax- and Ramie-Reinforced Green Composites for Orthopedic Implants

Abstract

The aim of this research study is to develop promising bio-composite material reinforced with natural fiber for the application in bone grafting and orthopedic implants. In this research work, investigation on the mechanical properties of the fabricated bio-composite from flax and ramie fiber with three different weight fractions (10, 20, and 30%) and bio-epoxy resin matrix has been carried out with the help of compression hand layup method. Hybrid composite material from 15% flax and 15% ramie showed better tensile strength (102 MPa), flexural strength (138 MPa) and compressive strength (130 MPa) as well as better respective modulus (5.63, 12.41, and 8.87 GPa). The established properties are comparable to the human femur and tibia bone and therefore can be used in orthopedic implant application. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is determined to characterize the viscoelastic properties of bio-composite material and found that hybrid composites at 30% weight fraction of fibers have given best results with maximum storage 9.03 GPa, loss modulus 1.45 GPa, and maximum glass transition temperature (Tg) of 110 °C, respectively. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to characterize the microstructure bonding behavior between fiber and matrix at the fracture surfaces.