ANALYSIS OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF RATTAN COMPOSITES WITH THE EFFECT OF KOH IMMERSION AND EPOXY RESIN FOR PROSTHETIC LEG APPLICATIONS

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the mechanical properties of rattan fiber composites reinforced with epoxy resin
and treated with KOH immersion, as an effort to develop alternative materials for prosthetic leg applications.
The rattan fiber volume fractions used were 10%, 20%, and 30%, with immersion times of 1, 2, and 3 hours.
The testing included impact testing (Charpy), compression testing, and XRF analysis to determine elemental
composition. The results show that KOH treatment significantly improved the impact strength and compressive
strength of the composites, especially at 20% fiber content with 3 hours of immersion. The highest average
impact energy reached 5.8 J, while the highest compressive strength was obtained at 30% fiber content with
2 hours of immersion. In conclusion, rattan-epoxy composites with alkali treatment can serve as a promising
candidate for prosthetic leg materials, offering lightweight, strong, and affordable alternatives.