Preliminary Investigation of a Flax-Epoxy Composite Material for Orthopaedic Applications

In this dissertation, a preliminary experimental study was done on a flax-epoxy prepreg to determine its suitability as a composite material for making bone fixation plates. The research involved manufacturing, testing, data analysis, and design and optimizing. The material was found to have sufficient strength and mechanical characteristics similar to those of bone, and could be used for making bone fixation implants with proper design or in combination with other reinforcement fibres. The findings of this research are useful not only for using flax-epoxy composites in designing bone fixation plates but also for orthopaedic implants, such as joint replacement, in general.