Comparative Study on Creep, Hardness, and Density Properties of Materials for Transtibial Prosthetic Socket Fabrication

This study investigates the utilization of natural fibers as reinforcements in polymer composites to produce prosthetic sockets and provide an environmentally friendly alternative to existing technologies. The laminates were fabricated using a blend of woven bamboo fiber, ramie fiber, glass fiber, carbon fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber, and Kevlar fiber. This study entailed performing some mechanical tests, such as hardness, creep, and density tests, to investigate the influence of alternative fiber stacking arrangements on certain mechanical and physical properties. The study analyzed the influence of fiber composition and stacking methods on the overall performance of the laminates, shedding light on their suitability for diverse applications. The most promising examples, consisting of four ramie layers and two carbon fiber layers, exhibited outstanding mechanical capabilities, with a hardness of 86 MPa and a 1.239 gm/cm³ density. In contrast, lamination (2 bamboo +2 UHMWPE + 2 bamboo) has the lowest density value at 1.157. The results highlight the possibility of combining natural and synthetic reinforcements in composite structures to improve overall performance. A deliberate blend of natural and synthetic bio-composite reinforcements is suggested to enhance mechanical performance, especially in prosthetic limb engineering and materials science.