Research progress of uhmwpe fiber

The idea of making high-strength fibers from ultra-high molecular weight 

polyethylene resins was born in the 1970s. Uhmwpe fiber has low density @ : 0.97 g/cm3). It is the fiber product with the highest specific strength and modulus at present, and it is an indispensable and important strategic material .Properties of uhmwpe fibers are as follows:

Mechanical properties in the process of gelatinized spinning, the quality and orientation of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber have been greatly improved by multistage super stretching, and the structure of folded chain polyethylene sheet has been transformed into straight chain structure, which greatly improves the strength and modulus of the fiber.

It is two times stronger than high-strength carbon fiber and 14 times stronger than steel.

Chemical medium corrosion resistance because of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber is a kind of non-polar materials, excluding polar group in molecular chain, contains only c, H, two kinds of elements, the surface under the action of tensile stress will produce a weak interface layer, and fiber surface into chemical inertness, therefore to acid, alkali and chemical reagent has a strong ability to resist corrosion. In addition, because the molecular chain does not contain double bond groups, heat and light aging resistance and other environmental stability is very good.

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (uhmwpe) has the highest impact resistance of any plastic at present. It is 3 or 5 times higher than polycarbonate, which is known for its impact resistance .As uhmwpe fiber has high toughness, high modulus and high fracture energy, it has excellent bulletproof performance.

The water absorption rate of uhmwpe is the smallest in engineering plastics. It has excellent low temperature resistance, and still maintains good impact strength below freezing point. The minimum temperature can reach 1 269 ℃. The surface adsorption of uhmwpe is very weak.

Based on its excellent comprehensive performance, uhmwpe fiber has been widely used in many fields such as national defense, military industry, aerospace and so on. The fiber has good impact resistance and energy absorption, so it can be made into protective materials, helmets and body armor. The bulletproof vest made of uhmwpe fiber has the advantage of softness, and the bulletproof effect is better than that of aramid. In addition, the specific impact load value of ultra-high quality polyethylene fiber composite material is twice that of steel, and twice that of glass fiber and arrayon. Foreign bulletproof and riot helmets made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber composites have become substitutes for steel helmets and aramid reinforced composite helmets. During the flight, shanyu fiber composite material has light weight, high strength and good impact resistance, which is suitable for wing tip structures of various aircraft. Uhmwpe could also be used for landing parachutes on space shuttles and for hanging heavy objects on airplanes, replacing traditional steel cables and synthetic fiber ropes.

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (uhmwpe) fiber is also favored in some civil fields.A rope made of this fibre breaks eight times as long under its own weight as a steel rope and twice as long as an aramid. Its rope is used for fixed anchor rope of supertanker, offshore operating platform and lighthouse, etc., which solves the problems of corrosion of steel cable and corrosion, hydrolysis and ultraviolet degradation of nylon and polyester cable, which cause the cable strength reduction and fracture and need to be replaced frequently. In terms of sporting goods, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber composite materials have been made into hard hats, fishing rods, rackets, bicycles, glide boards, etc., whose performance is better than traditional materials. Due to its excellent chemical inertia, uhmwpe can be used as medical devices such as sutures and artificial muscles in the field of biomedical materials. In terms of building materials, uhmwpe staple fiber reinforced cement composites can improve the toughness and impact resistance of cement.