Metacarpophalangealjointimplantshavebeenusuallymadeofsiliconerubber.Inthe
current study,silicananoparticlesandpolypropylene fibers wereaddedtosiliconerubber
to improvesiliconeproperties.Theeffectoftheadditionofsilicananoparticlesand
polypropylene fibers onthetensilebehavioroftheresultantcompositeswereinvestigated.
CompositesampleswithdifferentcontentofPP fibers andSilicananoparticles(i.e.0,
1 and2wt%)aswellasthehybridcompositeofsiliconerubberwith1wt%SiO2 and 1wt%
PP fiber wereprepared.Tensiletestsweredoneatconstantcrossheadspeed.Tostudythe
body fluid effectonthemechanicalpropertiesofsiliconerubbercomposites,samples
soaked insimulatedbody fluid (SBF)at37 1C werealsotested.Themorphologyofthe
samples werestudiedbyscanningelectronmicroscope.Resultsofanalysisrevealedthat
an increaseinPP fibers andsilicananoparticlescontentto2wt%,increasesthetensile
strength ofsiliconerubberofabout75%and42%respectively.Itwasfoundoutthatthe
strength ofthesamplesdecreasesafterbeingsoakedinsimulatedbody fluid, though
composites withPP fibers asthereinforcementshowedlesspropertydegradation.