Characterization of the Response of Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Embedded in 3D Printed Continuous Fiberglass Reinforced Composite for Biomedical Applications

Nowadays, additive manufacturing play an increasing role in the design of assistive technology. In particular, 3D printed prosthetic devices, such as artificial limbs, still lack a comprehensive characterization of the materials and biomechanical properties, especially during the daily use. This technology can therefore benefit from advanced materials, such as smart composites, that combine high strength and lightweight properties with sensing capability. They exploit different kind of sensors embedded in the composite matrix to detect stress, strain, temperature or pressure depending on the design and the application considered. These sensors are miniaturized not to modify the mechanical behaviour of the embedding material and not to compromise its structural resistance. This study focuses on the characterization of 3D printed composites with embedded Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) optical sensors for strain measurements, with future application in the prosthetic technology. The adhesion between the optical fiber containing the FBG and composite matrix was studied through pull-out tests, as the mechanical integrity of the whole smart material and its performance is investigated with quasi-static tensile tests. Results and discussion are provided considering polyamide and acrylate coated optical fibers embedded in specifically designed 3D printed samples.