Ultra-High-Modulus Polyethylene

Biro. D.A.. Plcizeicr, G. and Deslandes, Y. (1993a). Application of the microbond technique. HI. Efl ecls of plasma treatment on the ultra-high modulus polyethylene fiber-epoxy interface, J. Mater. Sci. Lett. II, 698-710. 

Ultra-high modulus fibers such as aramid and carbon fibers have been currently utilized for composite material fabrication. Ultra-high modulus polyethylene (UHMPE) fiber is also applicable for composite fabrication because of the light weight in addition to its high modulus, vibration damping, and resistance to chemicals. However, this fiber has drawbacks such as poor interfacial adhesion with the polymer matrix of the composite because of highly hydrophobic nature of the fiber surface. 

Recently, various techniques that produce highly oriented linear polyethylene with a ultra high modulus (hereafter, referred to as UHMPE) have been developed. In this section, we will examine the structure of the UHMPE that was prepared by highly drawing a dried gel [69]. Even if bulk polyethylene is uniaxially highly drawn by a normal method at a temperature between the Tg and Tm, the phase structure is essentially similar to the undrawn sample. That is, it involves three phases of the crystalline and two noncrystalline phases, although the mass fraction and detailed content of each phase are somewhat different. However, UHMPE samples may have a particular phase structure. 

G. Capaccio and I. M. Ward, Ultra-high Modulus Linear Polyethylene through Controlled Modulus Weight and Drawing, Polym. Eng. Sci., 15, 219-224 (1975). 

De Gennes scaling concepts for polymer solutions and melts and the concept of reptation movement of polymer chains in melts Pennings discovery of chain extension and shish-kebab formation in stirred solutions of very high MW polyethylene this eventually led to the ultra-high modulus gel-spinning process of polyethylene... 

As pointed out by Cansfield et al. the tensile behaviour of ultra high modulus polyethylene is very dependent on strain rate. A tensile strength of 1.5 GPa can therefore be obtained at high strain rates (similar to those adopted by Wu and Black) even for very low molecular weight polymers. 

Zachariades, A. E., Mead, W. T., Porter, R. S. Recent developments in ultramolecular orientation of polyethylene by soldid-state extrusion, in Ultra-High Modulus Polymers (eds.) Ciferri, A., Ward, I. M., p. 77, London, Applied Science 1979... 

With proper resolution of the technical problems, molecular composites should offer significant commercial promise. This will require adapting the technology to the existing commodity or engineering polymers. Polyamides appear to be the best opportunity based on the literature references. However, even commodity polymers such as polyethylene should not be ruled out. An example of this can be found in work reported by Teishev et al. [1993] where ultra high modulus polyethylene fibers were dispersed in a HOPE matrix. 

T. Kunugi, S. Oomori, and S. IVfikami, Preparation of ultra-high modulus polyethylene films by... 

AJ. Pennings and K.E. Meihuizen, Polyethylene fibers with ultra-high modulus and strength... 

Gibson, A.G. at al. (1978). Dynamic mechanical behaviour and longitudinal crystal thickness measurements on ultra-high modulus linear polyethylene a quantitative model for the elastic modulus. Polymer, Vol. 19 (1978), pp. 683-693 Hong, K. et al. (2004). A model treating tensile deformation of semi-crystalline polymers Quasi-static stress-strain relationship and viscous stress determined for a sample of... 

Capaccio, G. (1983) Structural changes in the preparation of ultra-high modulus polyethylene, Pure Appl. Chem., 55, 869-872. 

Jang JS, Moon SI, Impact and behavior of carbon fibre/ultra-high modulus polyethylene fibre hybrid composites, Polymer Composites, 16(4), 325-329, 1995. 

Li Y, Xian XJ, Choy Cl, Guo MI, Zhang ZG, Compressive and flexural behavior of ultra-high-modulus polyethylene fibre and carbon fibre hybrid composites, Composites Sci Technol, 59(1), 13-18, 1999. 

The ability to control the interface is central to successful application of adhesion in a composite. By modifying or tailoring the interface, the improved fundamental adhesion might result in the improved practical adhesion for example, various surface treatments of ultra-high modulus polyethylene fibres used as reinforcemenf in polyester and epoxy composites that changed the values of both monofilament pull-out adhesion and interlaminar shear strength. ... 

Ladizesky, N.H. and Ward, I.M., Ultra-High-Modulus Polyethylene Fibre Composites I—The Preparation and Properties of Conventional Epoxy Resin Composites. Comp. Sci. and Techn., 1986, 26, 129-164. 

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