COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF POLYMERIC COMPOSITES FOR ORTHOPEDIC APPLICATIONS

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Department of Production Engineering and Mechanical Design, Faculty of Engineering, Minia University, El-Minia, EGYPT

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of epoxy and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites reinforced with Kevlar fibers (KF) and carbon fibers (CF) for potential use in orthopedic implants. The mechanical performance of these composites is evaluated by the tensile testing and fatigue resistance analysis. It was found that epoxy composites reinforced by Kevlar demonstrated superior tensile strength, reaching approximately 121 MPa, while  epoxy reinforced by carbon fibers achieved around 50.8 MPa, compared to 28.5 MPa for Kevlar-reinforced HDPE and 25.3 MPa for carbon-reinforced HDPE. The elastic modulus of Kevlar-reinforced epoxy was significantly higher (0.6 GPa) than that of carbon-reinforced epoxy (0.28 GPa), while Kevlar-reinforced HDPE and carbon-reinforced HDPE showed lower values compared to epoxy composites. Fatigue resistance tests revealed that Kevlar-reinforced epoxy endured up to 1885 cycles at a deflection of 4 cm, outperforming carbon-reinforced epoxy, that withstood 1275 cycles. Similarly, Kevlar-reinforced HDPE exhibited improved fatigue resistance (1200 cycles) compared to carbon-reinforced HDPE (1000 cycles). These results indicate that epoxy composites are better suited for high-stress applications, such as femur fracture plates, due to their high strength, stiffness, and fatigue resistance. In contrast, HDPE composites, while mechanically inferior, offer greater flexibility and biocompatibility, making them suitable for applications where ductility and low tissue reactivity are critical. It was observed that both Kevlar and carbon fibers significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the composites, especially Kevlar that provides superior reinforcement in terms of tensile strength and fatigue resistance. The findings provide valuable insights for selecting the appropriate composite material based on specific orthopedic application requirements, with epoxy composites being preferred for high-stress environments and HDPE composites for applications that requiring more flexibility.

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