Finite element modeling demonstrates reduced temperature and contact pressure with phase change material-enhanced silicone liners, suggesting improved comfort for transfemoral prosthesis users.
Excess heat accumulation and elevated interface pressures cause discomfort and skin complications for transfemoral prosthesis users. This study investigates the thermo-mechanical behavior of silicone liners reinforced with microencapsulated phase change material (PCM) at 5%, 10%, and 15% volume fractions (Si-5PCM, Si-10PCM, Si-15PCM), using a coupled 3D finite element model with multiscale homogenization. Results show the silicone liner reached the highest temperature (∼36°C) and highest coupled contact pressure (183.4 kPa), while Si-15PCM maintained the lowest temperature (∼34.6°C) with smaller pressure and shear-stress increases. Low-fraction PCM liners thus reduce heat-induced mechanical amplification, offering a more stable, skin-friendly prosthetic interface.
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Aichouba et al. (2026) studied this question.
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