Exploring the entangled state and molecular weight of UHMWPE on the microstructure and mechanical properties of HDPE/UHMWPE blends

Three types of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with different entangled state and molecular weight were blended with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix by melt blending. Rheology, 2D-SAXS, 2D-WAXD, DSC, and mechanical tests were used to study the evolution and difference of microstructure and mechanical properties of the blends. The addition of weakly entangled UHMWPE enhanced the chain diffusion and chain orientation ability under a specific flow field. Thus, the rheological properties and mechanical properties of the blends were improved with the mix of weakly entangled UHMWPE. The mechanical properties enhancement effect of HDPE/UHMWPE blends with weakly entangled UHMWPE was owing to the shish-kebab structure formed in the injection molding process. The molecular chains of UHMWPE with a low degree of entanglement and high molecular weight increased the lamella size and crystallinity of the blends during processing. This leads to the formation of more oriented shish structures and more kebab lamella. Besides, the molecular chains of weakly entangled UHMWPE were better interlocked and intertwined with other polyethylene chains in the amorphous region, acting as the tie molecules, significantly improving the impact resistance.     

Preparation of HDPE/UHMWPE/MMWPE blends by two-step processing way and properties of blown films

Summary Blends of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were prepared by two-step processing way. Middle molecular weight polyethylene (MMWPE) as a fluidity modifier and compatilizer was added into UHMWPE in the first step, and then modified UHMWPE and HDPE were blending extruded to prepare the HDPE/UHMWPE/MMWPE blends used for blown films. The mechanical test of the blown films revealed that when the content of MMWPE in modified UHMWPE was 40wt% and the content of UHMWPE in the blends was 20 wt%, the film had the optimal mechanical properties. The tensile strength and tear strength of the film increased by 50% and 21%, respectively, compared with those of pure HDPE film. Rheological curves indicated that the melt torque and the apparent viscosity of the HDPE/UHMWPE/MMWPE blends made by two-step processing way both greatly reduced than other blends. The results from DSC suggested that the blends by two-step processing way may form more stable and perfect co-crystallization. PLM (polarized light microscopy) and SEM micrographs revealed that two-step processing way can improve the surface morphology of the films and make the dispersion of UHMWPE particles in HDPE increase.     

Morphology,thermal behavior,and mechanical properties of PA6/UHMWPE blends with HDPE‐g‐MAH as a compatibilizing agent

A functionalized high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) with maleic anhydride (MAH) was prepared using a reactive extruding method. This copolymer was used as a compatibilizer of blends of polyamide 6 (PA6) and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Morphologies were examined by a scanning electron microscope. It was found that the dimension of UHMWPE and HDPE domains in the PA6 matrix decreased dramatically, compared with that of the uncompatibilized blending system. The size of the UHMWPE domains was reduced from 35 μm (PA6/UHMWPE, 80/20) to less than 4 μm (PA6/UHMWPE/HDPE‐g‐MAH, 80/20/20). The tensile strength and Izod impact strength of PA6/UHMWPE/HDPE‐g‐MAH (80/20/20) were 1.5 and 1.6 times as high as those of PA6/UHMWPE (80/20), respectively. This behavior could be attributed to chemical reactions between the anhydride groups of HDPE‐g‐MAH and the terminal amino groups of PA6 in PA6/UHMWPE/HDPE‐g‐MAH blends. Thermal analysis was performed to confirm that the above chemical reactions took place during the blending process. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 232–238, 2000     

UHMWPE/HDPE共混物的流动性及力学性能的研究

采用不同MFR的HDPE与UHMWPE进行熔体共混。结果表明UHMWPE／HDPE共混物流动性和力学性能的变化受体系组成、熔体粘度比等因素的影响较大。HDPE的MFR过高、过低或用量过多，均不利于共混物流动性及综合力学性能的改善。当HDPE作为分散相时，易于实现向UHMWPE高粘弹粒子的渗透、分散及结合，共混物的．MFR及拉伸屈服强度、断裂强度、断裂伸长率均比UHMWPE有提高，共混物表现出协同效应；当UHMWPE为分散相或二者熔体粘度比差异过大时，混合效果变差，共混物综合力学性能下降；在某些中间配比下，二者表现出增链缠结效应，共混物MFR明显降低。     

Mechanical and tribological behaviors of polyamide 66/ultra high molecular weight polyethylene blends

The blends of polyamide (PA) and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were prepared by a Brabender DSE25 co‐twin screw extruder, and maleic anhydride (MAH) grafted high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) was used as a compatibilizer. A chemical reaction between MAH group of MAH‐g‐HDPE and terminal amino group of PA was testified by FT‐IR analysis. Mechanical and tribological tests showed that the tensile and bending strength of PA decrease with the increase of UHMWPE. Besides, the mechanical strengths of PA/UHMWPE blends were improved by adding appropriate MAH‐g‐HDPE. The chemical reaction between MAH‐g‐HDPE and PA ameliorated the homogeneous dispersing ability of UHMWPE in the blend. The friction coefficient and volume wear rate of the PA/UHMWPE blends decreased apparently with the increase of UHMWPE, as was probably that UHMWPE has straight chain structure and good flexibility; therefore, a transferring film could be easily formed on the steel surface with the increase of UHMWPE. In friction process, the wear resistance of the blends was relative to the mechanical property of the blends when the amount of the transferring layer reached to a certain value. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:738–744, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Effect of solid‐state shear milling on structure and properties of HDPE/UHMWPE blends

The structure and properties of HDPE/UHMWPE blends prepared through a pan‐milling reactor in solid state at ambient temperature were compared with the blends made by melt mixing. The changes of structure and properties of the blends were investigated by FTIR, melt flow index, mechanical properties, dynamic rheological measurement, DSC, and WAXD. DSC measurement illustrated that after pan‐milling treatment, the half‐width of the melting temperature became smaller. The more content of UHMWPE added in the blend, the more evident change was observed. Combined with the dynamic rheological analysis, it was proved that, the pan‐milling treatment can improve the compatibility of the HDPE/UHMWPE blends. X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that after pan‐milling treatment some ordered structure could be induced, but after heat treatment, the induced crystalline structure disappeared. The tensile properties of pan‐milled HDPE/UHMWPE blends also achieved improvement after pan milling treatment. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39916.     

Morphology and mechanical properties of melt drawn chopped UHMWPE fiber/HDPE blends

Blends of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) chopped fibers with high density polyethylene (HDPE) were prepared by melt mixing extrusion, followed by melt drawing. The combined effect of composition and flow on the morphology was investigated by microbeam synchrotron X‐ray diffraction and high resolution scanning electron microscopy. Apparently in the drawn blends, the presence of fibers resulted in a higher degree of orientated morphology and—as revealed by differential scanning calorimetry—higher degrees of crystallinity and melting points. Significant improvement of mechanical properties was observed with increase of the fiber volume fraction. These results indicate that the oriented arrays of immiscible UHMWPE domains aligned in the flow direction, joined by fiber‐induced crystallization of the surrounding HDPE matrix, and provide strong reinforcing effect. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 46:807–811, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Processing–Nanostructure–Property Relationships of All‐Polyethylene Composites Reinforced by Flow‐Induced Oriented Crystallization of UHMWPE

All‐polyethylene composites exhibiting substantially improved toughness/stiffness balance are readily produced during conventional injection molding of high density polyethylene (HDPE) in the presence of bimodal polyethylene reactor blends (RB40) containing 40 wt% ultrahigh molar mass polyethylene (UHMWPE) dispersed in HDPE wax. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses shows that flow‐induced crystallization affords extended‐chain UHMWPE nanofibers forming shish which nucleates HDPE crystallization producing shish‐kebab structures as reinforcing phases. This is unparalleled by melt compounding micron‐sized UHMWPE. Injection molding of HDPE with 30 wt% RB40 at 165 °C affords thermoplastic all‐PE composites (12 wt% UHMWPE), improved Young's modulus of 3400 MPa, tensile strength of 140 MPa, and impact resistance of 22.0 kJ/m². According to fracture surface analysis, the formation of skin‐intermediate‐core structures accounts for significantly improved impact resistance. At constant RB40 content both morphology and mechanical properties strongly depend upon processing temperature. Upon increasing processing temperature from 165 °C to 250 °C the average shish‐kebab diameter increases from the nanometer to micron range, paralleled by massive loss of self‐reinforcement above 200 °C. The absence of shish‐kebab structure at 250 °C is attributed to relaxation of polymer chains and stretch‐coil transition impairing shish formation.     

Short‐time fabrication of well‐mixed high‐density polyethylene/ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene blends under elongational flow: morphology,mechanical properties and mechanism

As linear polyethylenes, ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) have the same molecular structure, but the large difference in viscosity between them makes it difficult to obtain well‐mixed blends. An innovative eccentric rotor extruder (ERE) generating an elongational flow was used to prepare HDPE/UHMWPE blends within short processing times. Compared with the obvious two‐phase morphology of a sample from a twin‐screw extruder observed with a scanning electron microscope, few small UHMWPE particles were observed in the HDPE matrix for a sample from the ERE, indicating the good mixing on a molecular level of HDPE/UHMWPE blends achieved by the ERE during short processing times. The morphological changes of blends prepared using the ERE evidenced the good integration of HDPE and UHMWPE even though the UHMWPE content is up to 50 wt% in the blends. Moreover, all blends retained most of the intrinsic molecular weight. The good mixing was further confirmed from the thermal, crystallization and rheological behaviors determined using differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic rheological measurements. Importantly, the 50/50 blend presented improved mechanical properties, especially super‐impact strength of 151.9 kJ m^?2 with incomplete‐break fracture state. The strengthening and great toughening effects of UHMWPE on the blends were attributed to the addition of unwrapped UHMWPE long molecular chains. The effective disentanglement mechanism of UHMWPE chains under elongational flow was explained schematically by a non‐parallel three‐plate model. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Binary and ternary particulated composites: UHMWPE/CACO3/HDPE

A study of the influence of employing ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) on the toughness of CaCO₃/high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) composites was carried out. Binary and ternary HDPE‐based composites with calcium carbonate in the range of 0–40% and UHMWPE in the range of 0–50% were produced by twin‐screw extrusion followed by compression molding. From tensile and impact tests, it was found that increasing calcium carbonate content increased tensile modulus, but decreased tensile strength, strain at break, and impact resistance. The addition of UHMWPE helped to increase the strain at break and impact resistance of composites moderately without decreasing modulus or strength. The degree of toughening was found to increase with increasing UHMWPE content, but to decrease as the filler volume fraction was increased. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 1503–1513, 2000     

Development of UHMWPE modified PP/PET blends and their mechanical and abrasive wear behavior

In this study, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate blend were modified by incorporating different percentages of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) ranging from 1 to 5 phr. Modified blends were prepared by melt mixing the PP/PET blend and UHMWPE. Ultimate tensile strength of UHMWPE filled blend was determined at 10, 20, 50, and 100 mm/min cross head speeds of testing. It was found that increase of cross head speed from 10 to 100 mm/min increases the tensile strength of PP/PET/UHMWPE blends. Maximum ultimate tensile strength is exhibited by the blend containing 2 phr UHMWPE. Breaking strain of the UHMWPE modified and unmodified PP/PET blend increased with the increase of cross head speed due to the highly entangled chain structure of UHMWPE. Shore A hardness of the filled blends also increased from 341 to 356, which is highest for 2 phr UHMWPE. High stress abrasive wear of UHMWPE modified blend was determined by using Suga abrasion tester, model NUS‐1 Japan. Wear rate of the PP/PET(90/10) blends having 1, 2, and 5 phr of UHMWPE was determined at different loads such as 1, 3, 5, and 7 N and sliding distances from 6.4 m to 25.6 m. Wear rate values show that UHMWPE has prominent effect on abrasive wear of PP/PET blends. Addition of 2 and 5 phr UHMWPE improved the wear resistance of PP/PET blends at different loads, which has been explained on the basis of improved bonding as compared with pure PP/PET blend and increased hardness. Maximum abrasive wear rate reduction was achieved by adding 2 phr UHMWPE in PP/PET(90/10) blend. POLYM. COMPOS. 28:267–272, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Mechanical Properties and Morphology of UHMWPE/PC/HDPE-g-MAH Blends

The blends of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), polycarbonate (PC) compatibilized by using a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) grafted with maleic anhydride (MAH), HDPE-g-MAH, were processed by melt extrusion. Two grafting degree of HDPE-g-MAH, 0.5% and 1.2%, were separately prepared by melt-graft and solution-graft methods. The grafting degree of HDPE-g-MAH shows a significant role in enhancing tensile strength of the blends. The compatibilization mechanism of HDPE-g-MAH in the blends analyzed by FTIR indicates that a new grafting product, HDPE-g-PC, was in situ formed. The improvement of phase interface between UHMWPE and PC by addition of HDPE-g-MAH was observed by SEM.     

超高相对分子质量聚乙烯对双峰HDPE树脂性能的影响

为了提高双峰高密度聚乙烯（HDPE）的力学性能,采用超高相对分子质量聚乙烯（UHM—WPE）与双峰HDPE以不同比例共混,对共混物的相对分子质量及其分布、热性能、流变性能和力学性能进行了测试。UHMWPE的加入使高相对分子质量部分显著增加,流变性能下降,添加量小于10％（质量分数）时,共混物粘度在高剪切速率下变化不大;UHMWPE可提高共混物的熔融温度和初始结晶温度,结晶度先增加然后迅速降低;随着UHMWPE含量的增加,混合物的拉伸强度也随之增加,呈线性关系;结晶度与冲击强度成反比。     

High‐density polyethylene/ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene blend. I. The processing,thermal, and mechanical properties

Various blend ratios of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were prepared with the objective of determining their suitability as biomaterials. Although the presence of HDPE in the blends enabled melt processing, the presence of UHMWPE helped to improve the toughness of the resulting blends. The processability of the blends was investigated with the Brabender torque, which was used as an indication of the optimum blend conditions. The blends were characterized with differential scanning calorimetry. The mechanical tests performed on the blends included tensile, flexural, and impact tests. A 50:50 (w/w) blend yielded optimum properties in terms of the processability and mechanical properties. The tensile property of the 50:50 blend was intermediate between those of HDPE and UHMWPE, but the strain at break increased 200% in comparison with that of both neat resins. The energy at break of the 50:50 blend revealed an improvement in the toughness. The fracture mechanism was also investigated with scanning electron microscopy. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 413–425, 2005     

HDPE/UHMWPE共混物的制备及其性能

采用不同螺纹块组合的双螺杆挤出机制备HDPE/UHMWPE共混物,研究UHMWPE用量、螺杆结构对共混物力学性能、流变行为及分散形态的影响.结果表明:随着UHMWPE用量的增加,共混物的拉伸和缺口冲击强度随之增加,特殊螺杆挤出机制备共混物的机械性能均比普通螺杆的提高.UHMWPE使共混物成型加工黏度增大,特殊螺杆能降低共混物成型加工黏度.偏光显微镜照片显示,特殊双螺杆挤出机使UHMWPE熔融程度和分散程度增大.     

Structure and tensile properties change of LDPE/UHMWPE blends via solid state shear milling

LDPE/ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) blends were prepared through a pan‐milling reactor in solid state at ambient temperature. The changes of structure and properties of LDPE/UHMWPE blends were investigated by melt flow index, mechanical properties, scanning electronic microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. SEM photos showed that after pan‐milling treatment the dispersed approximately equiaxed UHMWPE particle became rodlike. DSC measurement illustrated that after pan‐milling treatment, the peaks of UHMWPE shift to lower temperatures while the peaks of LDPE kept stable. The more content of UHMWPE led to more evident shift. X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that the crystallinity of milled LDPE/UHMWPE blends decreased lightly, but the crystalline grain size decreased only for high content UHMWPE blends. The tensile properties of pan‐milled LDPE/UHMWPE blends also achieved significant improvement after pan milling treatment. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2487–2493, 2013     

Toughening high density polyethylene submitted to extreme ambient temperatures

The use of polyethylene is limited due to its low impact strength among other mechanical properties at extreme ambient temperatures, for example at ?46 °C and 66 °C. In this work, different polymer components, such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), were incorporated in high density polyethylene (HDPE) to test their ability to improve toughness of HDPE at extreme ambient temperatures. The polymer blends were processed by extrusion and injection molding and characterized by rotational rheometry, electron microscopy, thermal analysis, tensile, impact and dynamic mechanical tests. The results showed that low concentrations of EVA and UHMWPE in HDPE increased substantially the impact strength of HDPE at room temperature as well as in extreme ambient temperatures (?46 °C and 66 °C). This result indicates that these HDPE blends can be considered good candidates to replace pure HDPE in applications in which high values of toughness are required at extreme ambient temperatures.     

PC/UHMWPE/(HDPE/LDPE)-g-GMA共混物的形态结构与力学性能

采用反应挤出增容方法，制备了PC／UHMWPE／(HDPE／LDPE)-g-GMA共混物，并对其力学性能和形态结构进行研究。结果表明：共混物的冲击断面出现了严重的撕裂现象，基体产生了剪切屈服形变；共混物的拉伸强度随相容剂和UHMWPE用量的增加而降低，冲击强度随着相容剂用量的增加呈现先增加后减小的变化；当相容剂用量为6份时，冲击强度达到最大值66kJ／m^2，比未增容的PC／UHMWPE共混物提高了28．5kJ／m^2。     

The Effect of Compatibilizer on Morphology and Mechanical Properties of PA6/UHMWPE Blends

Abstract

This work deal with the effect of compatibilizer on the morphological and mechanic properties of polyamide 6 and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (PA6/UHMWPE) blends. The blends were prepared by means of a twin-screw extruder. The compatibilizer was produced by grafting maleic anhydride (MAH) onto high density polyethylene (HDPE). The resulting HDPE-g-MAH was used to prepare ternary blends of PA6/HDPE-g-MAH/UHMWPE by melt mixing. The size of domain of UHMWPE in PA6/HDPE-g-MAH/UHMWPE blends is much smaller than that in PA6/UHMWPE blends. It was found that mechanical properties of PA6/HDPE-g-MAH/UHMWPE blends obviously surpassed that of PA6/UHMWPE blends. These behavior could be attributed to chemical reactions between MAH in HDPE-g-MAH and terminal amino groups of PA6. Thermal analysis were performed to confirm the possible chemical reactions taken place during the blending process.     

Viscoelastic properties correlations to morphological and mechanical response of HDPE/UHMWPE blends

Melt-mixed and injection molded binary blends of high density polyethylene (HDPE)/ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were evaluated for their structural, thermal, rheological, morphological and mechanical attributes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study has revealed the absence of any significant changes in the crystalline alignment/morphology of the two polyethylene components. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies revealed the increase in melting temperature, whereas the properties such as crystallization temperature and percentage crystallinity remained broadly unaffected. Dynamic rheological behavior revealed a transition from liquid like behavior (G′?<?G″) to solid like behavior (G′?>?G″) in the composition range of 20–30 wt% of UHMWPE. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the cryo-fractured surface depicts two phase morphology along with very strong interface. The blending of UHMWPE with HDPE matrix has caused improvement in tensile, impact and flexural properties, whereas strain at break suffered a decrease. The analysis of tensile fractured surface morphology by SEM has proved to be useful in qualitatively understanding the underlying failure mechanisms. Eventually, a viscous-to-elastic transition in the rheological behavior has been observed and found to have a correspondence with structural, mechanical and morphological response in the similar composition window.