Application of Polymer Nanocomposites in the Design of Prosthetic Sockets That Feature Auxetic Meta‐Structures

ABSTRACT This research evaluates the response of prosthetic sockets constructed using polymer nanocomposites and incorporating auxetic meta‐structures. The prosthetic sockets feature lightweight meta‐structures between the inner and outer walls of the socket. Three different prosthetic designs featuring chiral, reentrant hexagon, and honeycomb meta‐structures are evaluated in this study. The prosthetic sockets were designed in SolidWorks and compared using finite element analysis. The polymer nanocomposites used in this study include polypropylene and ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene containing uniformly distributed inclusions of either titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or graphene nanoplatelets. Our results show a favorable pressure profile at the interface between the prosthetic socket and residual limb for sockets featuring chiral meta‐structures. The auxetic chiral prosthetic socket, across all materials, demonstrated a 44.6% reduction in average interfacial pressure compared to the nonauxetic hexagon socket. The addition of nanoparticles led to less favorable contact pressure profiles but effectively reduced deformation, indicating potential for patient‐specific customization based on individual stiffness and comfort requirements. The results indicate that auxetic structures, combined with the incorporation of appropriate nanoparticles, can aid in designing prosthetic sockets that minimize physical discomfort, discontinuation rates, and remove barriers to consistent prosthetic use.