scholarly journals An Environmentally Friendly Process for the Preparation of UHMWPE As-Spun Fibres

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Waqar Rajput ◽  
Anwar ul Aleem ◽  
Farooq Ahmed Arain
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
High Molecular Weight ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Melt Viscosity ◽  
Process Cost ◽  
Natural Solution ◽  
Environmentally Friendly Process ◽  
Ultra High Molecular Weight ◽  
Very High

The extrusion of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres cannot be achieved by conventional extrusion processes due to its very high melt viscosity. To overcome this limitation, UHMWPE is first dissolved in a petrochemical to form a gel before extrusion. The petrochemicals used to dissolve the polymer then need to be removed using other chemicals making the process unfriendly to the environment. This article is focused on finding an environmentally friendly, natural solution to replace these chemicals and altering the process to potentially reduce the process cost.

Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene

2008 ◽  
Vol 136 ◽  
pp. 45-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian N. Della ◽  
Dong Wei Shu
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Molecular Weight ◽  
High Molecular Weight ◽  
High Impact ◽  
Engineering Properties ◽  
Impact Forces ◽  
Uhmwpe Fibers ◽  
Ultra High Molecular Weight ◽  
Very High

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been shown to enhance the engineering properties of plastic fibers in ballistic-resistant garments enabling the garments to withstand very high impact forces while remaining to be lightweight. Previous study shows that by reinforcing ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers with a small amount of carbon nanotubes, the fibers are simultaneously toughened and strengthened. In this paper, we study the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube reinforced ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) by using micromechanics-based Mori-Tanaka model. Results show that the addition of small amount of carbon nanotubes as reinforcement can substantially improve the mechanical properties of the UHMWPE fibers.

scholarly journals Process Optimization of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene/Cellulose Nanofiber Bionanocomposites in Triple Screw Kneading Extruder by Response Surface Methodology

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (19) ◽  
pp. 4498
Author(s):  
Nur Sharmila Sharip ◽  
Hidayah Ariffin ◽  
Yoshito Andou ◽  
Yuki Shirosaki ◽  
Ezyana Kamal Bahrin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Wear Resistance ◽  
Response Surface Methodology ◽  
Response Surface ◽  
High Molecular Weight ◽  
Processing Condition ◽  
Cellulose Nanofiber ◽  
Melt Viscosity ◽  
Ultra High Molecular Weight

Incorporation of nanocellulose could improve wear resistance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) for an artificial joint application. Yet, the extremely high melt viscosity of the polymer may constrict the mixing, leading to fillers agglomeration and poor mechanical properties. This study optimized the processing condition of UHMWPE/cellulose nanofiber (CNF) bionanocomposite fabrication in triple screw kneading extruder by using response surface methodology (RSM). The effect of the process parameters—temperature (150–190 °C), rotational speed (30–60 rpm), and mixing time (30–45 min)—on mechanical properties of the bionanocomposites was investigated. Homogenous filler distribution, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis, was obtained through the optimal processing condition of 150 °C, 60 rpm, and 45 min. The UHMWPE/CNF bionanocomposites exhibited improved mechanical properties in terms of Young’s and flexural modulus by 11% and 19%, respectively, as compared to neat UHMWPE. An insignificant effect was observed when maleic anhydride-grafted-polyethylene (MAPE) was added as compatibilizer. The obtained results proved that homogenous compounding of high melt viscosity UHMWPE with CNF was feasible by optimizing the melt blending processing condition in triple screw kneading extruder, which resulted in improved stiffness, a contributing factor for wear resistance.

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