Comparative Study of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Natural Rubber Nanocomposite and Multiflex Dynamic Response – 2 Artificial Foot

Abstract

The desire to restore the quality of life to amputees has been on the front burner in recent years. This study compares the functional properties of a home-grown nanocomposite (NC) and multiflex dynamic response-2 artificial foot (M.DR2). The inherent challenge of ensuring uniform distribution of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) in host matrices was addressed by the use of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (C18H29NaO3S). Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesised via catalytic chemical vapour deposition (CCVD) technique and the NC was produced using an electrically heated hydraulic press. While the initial decomposition temperature (Tonset) showed that the newly developed material with 260.01 0C is more thermally stable than M.DR2 artificial foot with the temperature of 238.17 oC, incorporation of MWCNTs into the unfilled NR matrix proved a significant change in Tonset. MWCNT loading was found to influence the moisture content of the reinforced matrix by about 7% with the NC being 35% more thermally stable than M. DR2 artificial foot. SEM/EDS micrographs indicated complete embedment of MWCNTs in NR matrix, thereby making it more suitable than M. DR2 foot which was inundated with cavities, thereby making it susceptible to early failure. While it took both materials 120 days to attain saturation point NR/MWCNT-3 is 93% more dimensionally stable that M. DR2 and also demonstrated better resistance to wear. The wear rate results revealed that M. DR2 wears faster than NR/MWCNT-3 by approximately 32%. It can, therefore, be concluded from the foregoing that the home-grown material is to be preferred to its foreign counterpart for anthropomorphic prosthetic foot application.