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Arm, RC 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8762-6003,
2023.
A mechanical study of synthetic soft tissue membranes for prosthesis.
PhD, Nottingham Trent University.
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Abstract
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gels and elastomers are also known as Silicones. These materials are well documented in the literature especially in scientific journals, but PDMS gels employed by prosthetists often have adulterating agents in them that can affect their mechanical behaviour. Experienced prosthetists have been adding loose fibres, embedding fabrics and adding oil to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gels for decades, building a deep understanding of the benefits and drawbacks, but literature documenting these additives’ use is rare. Coloured, loose fibres are often used to pigment it, textiles are employed to reinforce it and oil is used to soften it, but the technical know-how of PDMS gel manipulation, has remained the embodied, tacit knowledge of the prosthetist, remaining unpublished and unquantified.
In this thesis, conclusive, data-based evidence is used to examine the technical aspects and mechanical influence of adding fibres, fabrics and oils to PDMS gels. Using industry agreed test standards and accessible technologies, this work presents an unabridged exploration of PDMS gel characteristics that would be familiar and useful to the experienced and inexperienced prosthetist alike.
New knowledge generated by this investigation defines the hardening effect of fibres and how textile addition, orientation and tension have a direct, measurable influence on a range of mechanical characteristics. Beyond simply adding strength, fibres and fabrics can be used to create membranes that are visually and mechanically similar to human skin. Additionally, data-based evidence reveals previously unknown material characteristics of oil saturated PDMS gels and mechanical tests demonstrate how they can be used to create more realistic, synthetic soft tissues and organs for surgical training models.
This work explicitly contributes new knowledge to the field of functional prosthetics by describing the mechanisms for control over key behavioural traits linked to the performance of organic counterparts such as extensibility, elasticity, anisotropy, and viscoelasticity.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Creators: | Arm, R.C. |
| Contributors: | Name Role NTU ID ORCID |
| Date: | December 2023 |
| Rights: | This work is the intellectual property (IP) of the author, Richard Arm. Readers may copy up to 5% of this work for private study or personal non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained herein should be fully referenced. Queries or requests for other uses should be requested in writing to the author and owner of the IP rights. |
| Divisions: | Schools > Nottingham School of Art & Design |
| Record created by: | Laura Borcherds |
| Date Added: | 10 Jun 2025 13:58 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Jun 2025 13:58 |
| URI: | https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/53719 |
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