A review on the orthotics and prosthetics and the potential of kenaf composites as alternative materials for ankle-foot orthosis

Abstract

Since ancient Egypt, orthosis was generally made from wood and then later replaced with metal and leather which are either heavy, bulky, or thick decreasing comfort among the wearers. After the age of revolution, the manufacturing of products using plastics and carbon composites started to spread due to its low cost and form-fitting feature whereas carbon composite were due to its high strength/stiffness to weight ratio. Both plastic and carbon composite has been widely applied into medical devices such as the orthosis and prosthesis. However, carbon composite is also quite expensive, making it the less likely material to be used as an Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO) material whereas plastics has low strength. Kenaf composite has a high potential in replacing all the current materials due to its flexibility in controlling the strength to weight ratio properties, cost-effectiveness, abundance of raw materials, and biocompatibility. The aim of this review paper is to discuss on the possibility of using kenaf composite as an alternative material to fabricate orthotics and prosthetics. The discussion will be on the development of orthosis since ancient Egypt until current era, the existing AFO materials, the problems caused by these materials, and the possibility of using a Kenaf fiber composite as a replacement of the current materials. The results show that Kenaf composite has the potential to be used for fabricating an AFO due to its tensile strength which is almost similar to polypropylene's (PP) tensile strength, and the cheap raw material compared to other type of materials.

Effect of Lignin Modification on Properties of Kenaf Core Fiber Reinforced Poly(Butylene Succinate) Biocomposites

“…The plant's core resembles wood and makes up 60-70% of the stem's dry weight; bark fibers contribute to the remaining 30-40%, and have a dense structure [9]. Several studies have reported the use of kenaf core fibers (KCF) as reinforcements in composite panels [10,11]. A study on KCF-reinforced unsaturated polyester composite revealed that 20 wt % of KCF reinforcements is the benchmark to enhance the composite's mechanical properties [12].…”

Commonly Used Types and Recent Development of Ankle-Foot Orthosis: A Narrative Review

“…Kenaf composite (Figure 5) is made of natural fibers with strong durability that meets the minimum criteria for mechanical properties required for AFOs [59]. Kenaf is a woody base plant that grows up to 5.5 m in 6-8 months; therefore, when used as a composite, its availability and production costs are not a problem [59,60].…”

“…Kenaf composite (Figure 5) is made of natural fibers with strong durability that meets the minimum criteria for mechanical properties required for AFOs [59]. Kenaf is a woody base plant that grows up to 5.5 m in 6-8 months; therefore, when used as a composite, its availability and production costs are not a problem [59,60]. In addition, Kenaf fibers have a trait of absorbing oils and liquids, which can help reduce the possibility of skin irritation, as it can absorb sweat when used as an orthosis [59,61].…”

Thermal, Physical and Mechanical Properties of Poly(Butylene Succinate)/Kenaf Core Fibers Composites Reinforced with Esterified Lignin

“…The core fibers of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), an annually grown crop in Malaysia, is a popular selection of reinforcements in composite panels. Incorporation of kenaf core fibers (KCF) has been reported to bestow the polymeric composites with better mechanical properties [12][13][14][15]. Nevertheless, the compatibility between hydrophobic polymers and hydrophilic natural fibers is an undesired problem that could affect the properties of the composite negatively, such as poor dimensional stability and poor durability against biological agents.…”