Abstract
This work reports on the use of low-cost pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) as an alternative reinforcing material to the established, commonly used material for prosthetic socket fabrication which is carbon-fiber-reinforced composite (CFRC) due to the high strength and stiffness of carbon fiber. However, the low range of loads exerted on a typical prosthetic socket (PS) in practice suggests that the use of CFRC may not be appropriate because of the high material stiffness which can be detrimental to socket-limb load transfer. Additionally, the high cost of carbon fiber avails opportunities to look for an alternative material as a reinforcement for composite PS development. PALF/Methyl Methacrylate-based (MMA) composites with 0°, 45° and 90° fiber orientations were made with 5–50 v/v fiber volume fractions. The PALF/MMA composites were subjected to a three-point flexural test to determine the effect of fiber volume fraction and fiber orientation on the flexural properties of the composite. The results showed that 40% v/v PALF/MMA composite with 0° fiber orientation recorded the highest flexural strength (50 MPa) and stiffness (1692 MPa). Considering the average load range exerted on PS, the flexural performance of the novel composite characterized in this work could be suitable for socket-limb load transfer for PS fabrication.
Highlights
A lower-limb prosthesis is an artificial limb support mechanism designed to restore the lower-limb mobility of an amputee [1], with the most essential and amputee-specific part being the prosthetic socket (PS) [2]
pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) were isolated from pineapple leaves using a procedure that was described were removed from solution, washed with deionized water and air-dried at 26 °C
It was realized that the stress–strain curves obtained for all composites consist of an initial linear region and a non-linear portion at the peak where composite failure occurred
Summary
A lower-limb prosthesis is an artificial limb support mechanism designed to restore the lower-limb mobility of an amputee [1], with the most essential and amputee-specific part being the prosthetic socket (PS) [2]. The product fabrication specifications for a PS require the socket to be: (a) strong enough to bear the load of the amputee, (b) stiff to resist bending and shear stresses, (c) flexible to absorb torque, (d) durable to resist fractures and stress in multiple planes, (e) lightweight to reduce the energy expenditure of the amputee and (f) cost-effective [2,3,5,6]. To achieve these multifaceted properties for a PS, the type of material selected for the fabrication is important. Thermosetting (composite) plastics are preferred because of the opportunity to incorporate multiple materials with desired properties whose combined effect satisfies the product fabrication specification for the PS
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