Effect of the orientation carbon-glass fiber reinforced polyester composite on bending strength for runner foot prosthesis applications

Abstract

An alternative way for increasing the strength of the runner’s prosthesis is by utilize the direction of fiber orientation. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of the orientation carbon-glass fiber reinforced composite on its bending strength. The main materials used in this study are carbon and glass fiber. The independent variable in this study is the direction of fiber orientation (0°, 45°, 90°, 0°/90°/0° and 90°/0°/90o). The dependent variables in this study are the bending strength and fracture micro photographs. This study is controlled by the method of manufacturing composites with vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI) and unsaturated polyester yukalac® 157 BQTN-EX with a density of 1.12 g cm−3. Polyester composite are reinforced with carbon and glass fiber with varying fiber orientation. Each composite was reinforced carbon-glass fiber with orientation 0°, 45°, 90°, 0°/90°/0° and 90°/0°/90°. The results showed that the bending strength of composite reinforced carbon glass fiber with orientation of 0°, 45°, 90°, 0°/90°/0° and 90°/0°/90° respectively 1.32 MPa, 1.65 MPa, 0.93 MPa, 1.25 MPa and 4.46 MPa. While, the deflection values for composites reinforced carbon glass fiber with orientation of 0°, 45°, 90°, 0°/90°/0° and 90°/0°/90° respectively 9.65 mm, 8.7 mm, 13.45 mm, 10.59 mm and 3.83 mm. The lowest bending strength occurs in carbon-glass fiber reinforced composites with fiber orientation 90° is 0.93 MPa with the deflection of 13.45 mm. The highest bending strength occurs in carbon-glass fiber reinforced composites with fiber orientation 90°/0°/90° is 4.46 MPa with a deflection of 3.83 mm. The results of fracture testing using scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed mixed failure due to delamination and fiber pull out.