Reinforcement effects on the mechanical properties of prosthesis sockets made of composite laminates.

This study aimed to further develop the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of the composite laminates used for manufacturing prosthesis sockets. Various types of hybridisations were thus adopted to manufacture hybrid composite laminates using the vacuum infusion method, and tensile strength tests were then used to investigate the load-bearing ability, while response to impact loading was assessed via impact strength tests. Using various levels of hybridisation, such as the inclusion of glass and carbon fabrics and glass and Kevlar fabrics with fillers, were found to enhance the tensile strength and young's modulus of hybrid composite laminates. In particular, the modulus of elasticity of hybrid composite laminates such as glass and carbon fabrics with fillers and glass and Kevlar with fillers showed improvement in the modulus of elasticity, with increases of around 32% and 17%, respectively, as compared to the same samples without fillers. Further, inclusion of thermoplastic particles in a matrix with various type of fabrics such as glass and Kevlar was found to increase the impact strength and fracture toughness of laminates: glass and carbon fabrics with fillers and glass and Kevlar with fillers showed improvements in fracture toughness of around 13% and 27%, respectively, as compared to the same samples without fillers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]