Ultrahigh-modulus polyethylene

Tissington, B., Pollard, G. and Ward, I.M. (1991). A study of the influence of fiber/resin adhesion on the mechanical behavior of ultrahigh modulus polyethylene fiber composites. J. Mater. Sci. 26, 82-92. 

TPR thermoplastic rubber UHMPE ultrahigh modulus polyethylene... 

Ishida H and Bussi B (1991) Surface induced crystallization in ultrahigh-modulus polyethylene fiber-reinforced polyethylene composites. Macromolecules 24 3569-3577. 

Figure 8.16 Schematic representation of the structure of the crystalline phase in ultrahigh-modulus polyethylene (constructed for p = 0.4). (Reproduced with permission from Gibson, Davies and Ward, Polymer, 19, 683 (1978). Copyright IPC Business Press Ltd)...

Wilding and Ward [28] have used the E3uing rate process to model the creep of ultrahigh-modulus polyethylene and show that at high strains, which correspond to long creep times, the creep rate reaches a constant value called the plateau (or equilibrium) creep rate (Figure 10.10). For polymers of low relative molecular... 

Figure 10.10 Sherby-Dom plots of creep of ultrahigh-modulus polyethylene at different temperatures. (Reproduced with permission from Wilding and Ward, Plastics and Rubber Processing and Applications, 1, 167 (1981))...

Wilding, M.A. and Ward, I.M. (1978) Tensile creep and recovery in ultrahigh modulus linear polyethylenes. Polymer, 19, 969 Creep and recovery of ultrahigh modulus polyethylene. Polymer, 22, 870 (1981). 

We close this section with a few comments regarding the ultrahigh-modulus acrylic fibers. It is estimated that the theoretical crystalline modulus for polyethylene is 240 GPa hence there has been an intense effort over the last 10-15 years to develop spinning processes to exploit the high-modulus potential. This goal has been achieved by gel-spinning techniques [177]. Allen et al. [178] have estimated the theoretical modulus that might be obtained for... 

Capaccio, G. and Ward, I.M. (1973) Properties of ultra-high modulus linear polyethylenes. Nature Phys. Sci., 243, 143 (1974) Preparation of Ultrahigh Modulus Linear Polyethylenes - Effect of Molecular-weight and Molecular-weight Distribution on Drawing Behavior and Mechanical-properties. Polymer, 15,223. 

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

IM = intermediate modulus and UHMW PE = ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. 

Extended-chain polyethylene fiber became available commercially in 1984 when DSM, a Dutch firm in the Netherlands, introduced Dyneema , and Mitsui Petrochemicals in Japan announced Tekmilon . Allied Signal of the United States entered the field in 1985 when it introduced Spectra fibers. These materials are characterized by very high strength and modulus, which are achieved by the use of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene spun by the gel spinning method into fibers having extended-chain structures and near perfect orientation. 

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