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<p>A sustainable polymer composite reinforced with natural fibers from Crotalaria juncea is fabricated and assessed as alternative for prosthetic socket applications. Long, uniformly distributed unidirectional fibers were obtained by combined mechanical and alkaline (5 wt% NaOH) treatments to improve fiber–matrix interfacial bonding. Composite laminates with four fiber orientations (0°, 90°, ± 45°, and 0°/90°) were produced by hand lay-up utilizing a polyester matrix with a fiber content of 40 vol%. The mechanical performance were evaluated by flexural, tensile, compressive, and impact following ASTM standards, in addition to water absorption analyses to assess dimensional stability. The 0° fiber-oriented composite demonstrated the best tensile strength (UTS, 88.97&#xa0;MPa), compressive strength (CS, 97.86&#xa0;MPa), and impact energy absorption (6.39&#xa0;J), closely paralleling the performance of carbon fiber–reinforced polyester composites while providing enhanced strain-to-failure and toughness. The 0°/90° laminate exhibited the greatest flexural strength (FS, 142.85&#xa0;MPa), signifying its appropriateness for bending-dominated areas of prosthetic sockets. Alkali treatment diminished water absorption by almost 70%, markedly enhancing moisture resistance and interfacial adhesion. Moreover, artificial neural network (ANN) models exhibited significant predicted accuracy for mechanical parameters, validating the reliability of the experimental dataset. The findings demonstrate that treated Crotalaria juncea fiber composites offer a lightweight, environmentally sustainable, and structurally viable substitute for traditional carbon fiber composites in prosthetic socket applications.</p>

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Mechanical performance and moisture resistance of alkali-treated Crotalaria juncea fiber–reinforced polyester composites for prosthetic sockets

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月21日

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  • Narmada devi M,
  • Kudumu Kavitha,
  • S. Govindaraj,
  • G Uganya,
  • Rubaid Ashfaq,
  • M. Ramamurthy

摘要

A sustainable polymer composite reinforced with natural fibers from Crotalaria juncea is fabricated and assessed as alternative for prosthetic socket applications. Long, uniformly distributed unidirectional fibers were obtained by combined mechanical and alkaline (5 wt% NaOH) treatments to improve fiber–matrix interfacial bonding. Composite laminates with four fiber orientations (0°, 90°, ± 45°, and 0°/90°) were produced by hand lay-up utilizing a polyester matrix with a fiber content of 40 vol%. The mechanical performance were evaluated by flexural, tensile, compressive, and impact following ASTM standards, in addition to water absorption analyses to assess dimensional stability. The 0° fiber-oriented composite demonstrated the best tensile strength (UTS, 88.97 MPa), compressive strength (CS, 97.86 MPa), and impact energy absorption (6.39 J), closely paralleling the performance of carbon fiber–reinforced polyester composites while providing enhanced strain-to-failure and toughness. The 0°/90° laminate exhibited the greatest flexural strength (FS, 142.85 MPa), signifying its appropriateness for bending-dominated areas of prosthetic sockets. Alkali treatment diminished water absorption by almost 70%, markedly enhancing moisture resistance and interfacial adhesion. Moreover, artificial neural network (ANN) models exhibited significant predicted accuracy for mechanical parameters, validating the reliability of the experimental dataset. The findings demonstrate that treated Crotalaria juncea fiber composites offer a lightweight, environmentally sustainable, and structurally viable substitute for traditional carbon fiber composites in prosthetic socket applications.