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Enhancing compressive strength in polymer composites utilized for application of foot prostheses

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Abstract

The loss of a lower limb has a profound impact on an individual’s mobility, necessitating the development of prosthetic feet as a restorative solution. However, the production of prosthetic feet for end-users faces challenges due to the diverse array of process variables, and materials involved. This study aims to investigate the effects of process variables, namely nozzle hole diameter (0.15mm, 0.25mm, 0.40mm) and internal filling pattern (grid, honeycomb, and tri-hexagon), on the compression behaviour of three composite materials: poly lactic acid reinforced with carbon fibre, polyethylene terephthalate glycol reinforced with carbon fibre, and poly lactic acid reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes. These components are fabricated using fused filament fabrication. The manufactured samples were subjected to compression testing, followed by a thorough analysis of failure morphology. Statistical analysis, specifically Taguchi's methodology and response surface methodology, are employed to assess how compression behaviour varies with the specified process variable. The study’s findings are leveraged to develop a foot prosthesis through fused filament fabrication, emphasizing superior compressive strength. The results of this study emphasize the direct relevance and practical utility of this research within the field of foot prostheses.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

To conduct the compression tests, the researchers gratefully thank the assistance of ACMS, IIT Kanpur, India. Additionally, we appreciate the AICTE grant (file number. 8-88/FDC/RPS (POLICY-1)/ 2019-20) that was given to us.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra, 282005, India

    Bobby Tyagi, Abhishek Raj, Ankit Sahai & Rahul Swarup Sharma

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  1. Bobby Tyagi
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  2. Abhishek Raj
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Correspondence to Ankit Sahai.

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Highlights

• Research investigates process variables and materials for compressive behaviour.

• Statistical analysis identifies optimal combinations for superior compressive strength.

• Failure morphology analysis provides insights into structural weaknesses.

• Polyethylene terephthalate glycol reinforced with carbon fibre with grid pattern and 0.40mm nozzle hole diameter offers remarkable compressive strength.

• Findings were utilised for the practical utility of this research within the field of foot prostheses.

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Tyagi, B., Raj, A., Sahai, A. et al. Enhancing compressive strength in polymer composites utilized for application of foot prostheses. J Polym Res 31, 30 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-024-03880-1

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