Evaluation of Adhesion Property of UHMWPE Fibers/Nano-epoxy by a Pullout Test

Ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers have poor wetting and adhesion properties to polymer resins because of the inert surface of the fibers. In our previous study, a reactive nano-epoxy matrix, developed by making a modification on the matrix with reactive graphitic nanofibers (r-GNFs), showed improved wettability to UHMWPE fibers. In this work, fiber bundle pullout tests were conducted to evaluate the adhesion property between the UHMWPE fibers and the nano-epoxy matrices. Analysis of load-displacement curves from pullout tests shows that debonding initiation load and ultimate debonding load increased considerably, because of effective improvement of adhesion between the UHMWPE fibers and nano-epoxy matrix. Stress-controlled and energy-controlled models of interfacial debonding were applied for theoretical analyses. Results from ultimate IFSS, frictional shear stress, and critical energy-release rate are in good agreement with experimental results. Nano-epoxy matrix with 0.3 wt% r-GNFs shows effective improvement in terms of adhesion property between UHMWPE fiber and epoxy.     

Chemical modification combined with corona treatment of UHMWPE fibers and their adhesion to vinylester resin

The influence of corona treatment on the near-surface structures of treated ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers was studied first by atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM pictures showed that the pits on the corona-treated PE fiber surfaces had different change characteristics in depth compared with in length and breadth with variations of corona power. Then the UHMWPE fibers were subjected to chemical modification following the corona treatment, named the two-stage treatment. Surface morphologies and chemical properties of the treated fibers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR–ATR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results obtained suggested that some carbon–carbon double bonds had been introduced on the surfaces of the PE fibers after the two-stage treatment. These unsaturated groups could participate in free-radical curing of vinylester resin (VER), and this resulted in improvement of interfacial adhesion strength in the PE fiber/VER composites. In addition, the mechanical properties of the UHMWPE fibers reduced after corona treatment did not reduce further after subsequent chemical treatment with increase of corona power. In short, the two-stage treatment proved to be effective in improving the interfacial adhesion of the composites and maintaining the high mechanical properties of the PE fibers, as this treatment method did not destroy the bulk structure of the UHMWPE fibers.     

Surface modification of drawn gel-cast ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene films

Gel-spun ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers have superior properties but their use in composite material applications is limited by their poor adhesion to polymer matrices. Previous studies have shown that etching improves the adhesion of epoxy to the fibers, but leads to a reduction in mechanical properties. The purpose of this research was to use uniaxially drawn gel-cast UHMWPE films as a model system since both films and fibers have a highly oriented fibrillar structural hierarchy. Etching has detrimental effects on the mechanical properties and crystallinity of these very thin films. The small amount of carbonyl and carboxyl groups added to the surface through etching raises the film's surface tension and enhances wetting by epoxy. Even though the unmodified film cannot be bonded with epoxy, the interlaminar shear strength between epoxy and the etched films approaches the cohesive strength of the epoxy. A combination of interfacial and UHMWPE cohesive failures is observed. The increase in adhesion is attributed to the slight increase in surface oxygen.     

The effect of irradiation surface treatment of UHMWPE fibre on the interfacial properties of PVC composite

Irradiation surface modification method was used for the surface treatment of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre to improve the interfacial adhesion of the UHMWPE fibre reinforced PVC composite. The surface characteristics of untreated and treated UHMWPE fibre were characterised by XPS and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscope. The friction and wear properties of the PVC composites filled with differently surface-treated UHMWPE fibres (20?vol.-%), were investigated on a ring-on-block tribometer. Experimental results revealed that irradiation treatment largely increased the mechanical properties of UHMWPE fibre/neoprene/PVC (UF/N/PVC) composites. Scanning electron microscope investigation of worn surfaces of PVC composites showed that surface-treated UF/N/PVC composite had the strongest interfacial adhesion.     

Effects of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene on rheological,thermal, and mechanical properties of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene/poly(ethylene glycol) blends

Ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has gained considerable fame due to its excellent wear and mechanical properties, though the inferior processability has restricted its further extensive applications. In this study, a combination of UHMWPE and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was considered based on the recent reports, and aiming to further exploit the potential of PEG that acts as processing aid, and also to obtain greater enhanced processability along with other properties, the effects of incorporating maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) was thoroughly investigated. Rheological tests revealed a further significant reduction in melt viscosity of UHMWPE/PEG blends after MAPE introduced, showing a potential of better processability, while the flexural strength and toughness of UHMWPE blends experienced a satisfying increase without any obvious compromises in other mechanical properties. A slight improvement of thermal stability in UHMWPE ternary blends along with an increase of vicat softening temperature were characterized by thermal tests, while the crystallinity of UHMWPE was diminished after the introduction of MAPE. Morphology analysis indicated that better dispersion and decreased size of PEG particles were achieved in UHMWPE matrix when MAPE was incorporated, which confirmed the improved interfacial interactions and other reinforcements obtained in UHMWPE/PEG/MAPE blends. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42701.     

Wear properties of 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane‐functionalized carbon nanotubes reinforced ultra high molecular weight polyethylene nanocomposites

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is extensively used as a material in various high‐end applications with superior mechanical properties. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced UHMWPE (CNT/UHMWPE) nanocomposite is a promising material that can compensate for the weak durability of UHMWPE. In this study, multiwalled carbon nanotubes were oxidized and silanized using acid mixture and 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane, respectively, to improve the interfacial strength between CNTs and UHMWPE. The CNT/UHMWPE nanocomposite was fabricated using these oxidized and silanized CNTs. The treatment effect of CNTs on the wear behavior of the CNT/UHMWPE nanocomposites was investigated through wear tests. The oxidization and silanization of CNTs were confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscope analysis showed that the silane‐treated CNT/UHMWPE nanocomposites showed better dispersion and interfacial adhesion between UHMWPE and CNTs becaue of the newly formed functional groups on the CNTs. The friction coefficient and wear rate of silanized CNT/UHMWPE nanocomposite were also found to be lower than those of raw UHMWPE and oxidized CNT/UHMWPE nanocomposite. CNTs were functionalized using oxidation and silanization methods to improve the interfacial adhesion between CNTs and UHMWPE. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Study of a compatibilized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene and polyurethane blend

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and thermoplastic polyester-type polyurethane (PU) were blended with polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MAH) added as a compatibilizer. A dual roller was used as a mixer, and all specimens were produced by the compression molding method. It was found that without compatibilizer, UHMWPE and PU were immiscible polymers and mixing PE-g-MAH reduced the size of the dispersed PU domains by a factor of 10 to reach 0.5–5 μm and caused a more uniform distribution of the PU phase in the UHMWPE matrix. Also, PE-g-MAH influenced the crystallinity of UHMWPE, increased the amorphous region in the UHMWPE phase, and improved interfacial adhesion. The threshold concentration of compatibilizer was 10 wt %, and the compatibilized UHMWPE/PU composites had improved mechanical properties and lower wear rate than the uncompatibilized composite. At some ratio points, compatibilizer composites even had better wear-resistance properties than pure UHMWPE. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 3290–3295, 2001     

The role of additional silane coupling agent treatment in oxygen plasma-treated UHMPE fiber/vinylester composites

Ultra-high modulus polyethylene (UHMPE) fiber was treated with oxygen plasma and a silane coupling agent in order to improve the interfacial adhesion between the UHMPE fiber and vinylester resin. The oxygen plasma and γ-methylmethacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MPS)-treated UHMPE fiber/vinylester composites showed a slightly higher interlaminar shear strength than the oxygen plasma-treated UHMPE fiber/vinylester composites. The interfacial adhesion of the oxygen plasma-treated UHMPE fiber/vinylester composites in this study is mainly due to mechanical interlocking between the micropits formed by the oxygen plasma treatment and the vinylester resin. The γ-MPS molecules adsorbed onto the UHMPE fiber surface neither affected the morphology of the UHMPE fiber surface, nor reduced the extent of mechanical interlocking. The improved interfacial adhesion by the γ-MPS treatment is due to enhanced wettability and chemical interaction through the chemically adsorbed γ-MPS molecules, as detected by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The γ-MPS molecules adsorbed onto the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) plate surface also reduced the aging effect of the oxygen plasma-treated UHMWPE surface.     

Interfacial adhesion study on UHMWPE fiber-reinforced composites

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber has many outstanding properties. However, poor interfacial adhesion of the UHMWPE fiber/polymer matrix interface limits its applications as reinforcement in high performance polymer matrix composites. Therefore, a new thermosetting resin system, named PCH, which is only composed of carbon and hydrogen elements, has been developed according to law of similar mutual solubility and the structural characteristics of UHMWPE fiber. The adhesion property was investigated by mechanical properties test, thermal performance test, and polymer solution properties test. Test results show that a strong interaction occurs between UHMWPE fiber and the PCH matrix due to the structural and polar similarity. In the case of slight difference between solubility parameters of UHMWPE fiber and cured PCH resin, it is found that the wettability of PCH resin on surface of the fiber can be improved and the difference between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the matrix and the fiber decreases with the increase of styrene added into the PCH. An optimal interfacial adhesion can be obtained as the ratio of PCH/styrene is approximately 55/45.     

Control of the interfacial properties of ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene/magnesium hybrid composites through use of atmospheric plasma treatment

This work aims to explore the use of lightweight magnesium alloys as an advanced composite material in conjunction with lightweight thermoplastic materials, such as ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). High throughput, environmentally friendly, atmospheric plasma treatment methods were used to control the interfacial properties and improve the adhesion behavior of metallic/UHMWPE composites. Helium‐oxygen dielectric barrier discharges were used, and the plasma‐activated UHMWPE surfaces were characterized through analytical and mechanical characterization methods. Oxygen content on the treated polymer surfaces increased 18.1–36.0%. A reduction in silicon content combined with characterization through microscopy reveal a preference for the attack of the matrix over the polyethylene fibers. Wetting angles for the treated samples decreased as much as 53.7%. Treated UHMWPE/Mg hybrid samples exhibited lap shear strengths up to 113.7% greater than the control. Both the plasma‐induced surface functionalization with oxygen‐containing polar groups (carboxyl, carbonyl, and hydroxyl groups) and the preferential mild etching of the polymer matrix over the fibers lead to the improvement in adhesion. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

The effects of octadecylamine functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes on the conductive and mechanical properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are usually used as conductive fillers to improve the conductive and mechanical properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) simultaneously. But the poor dispersion of MWCNTs in UHMWPE and the weak compatibility between MWCNTs and UHMWPE lead to lots of defect sites and limit the efficiency of load transfer between UHMWPE and MWCNTs. To solve these problems, octadecylamine (ODA) functionalized MWCNTs (MWCNT-ODA) were prepared and its effects on the conductive and mechanical properties of UHMWPE were investigated. The X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) measurements indicated that ODA was successfully grafted on the surface of MWCNTs. The electrical conductivity tests showed that 0.5 wt% addition of MWCNT-ODA can obviously reduce the volume resistivity of UHMWPE composites by 12 orders of magnitude compared to pure UHMWPE. Meanwhile, its impact strength achieved an increase of about 42.1% and the tensile strength was slightly improved from 33.5 MPa to 40.7 MPa compared with that of UHMWPE. The microstructure features of the impact fracture surfaces were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM). This result revealed the existence of a stronger interfacial force between the UHMWPE and MWCNT-ODA, which is responsible for the improvement of mechanical properties of UHMWPE.     

Synchronous toughening and reinforcing of polypropylene with ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene via melt blending: Mechanical properties,morphology, and rheology

Blending systems based on polypropylene (PP) and ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were prepared via a melt extrusion by the four‐screw and the twin‐screw extruders, respectively. The mechanical evaluation demonstrated that the synchronous toughening and reinforcing effects could be achieved from the combination of the PP and the UHMWPE, in which the toughness and the tensile properties could be improved with increasing the UHMWPE content, and achieved optimal values at a weight ratio of PP/UHMWPE (85/15). EPDM can be used as a compatibilizer to improve the compatibility and the interfacial adhesion between the PP and the UHMWPE. This resulted in more effective toughening and reinforcing effects. In contrast, for the PP/UHMWPE blends prepared by the normal twin‐screw extruder, the poor dispersion capacity for the UHMWPE resulted in a deterioration of all mechanical parameters. Morphological observation revealed that the UHMWPE domain was well distributed as tiny particles in the PP matrix, which was confirmed by the differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The toughening effect was attributed to the energy dissipation caused by these rigid tiny particles that detached from the matrix to initiate the local matrix shear yield and formed the void. Rheological investigation demonstrated that there was an interesting composition dependence of viscosity, for which the melt viscosities of the PP/UHMWPE blends decreased when 5 wt % UHMWPE was added, and then began to increase as the UHMWPE content continued to increase. However, this dependence on composition became weaker because of the compatibilization of the EPDM. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 3498–3509, 2006     

Mechanical properties of surface‐modified ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene fiber reinforced natural rubber composites

The mechanical properties of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers reinforced natural rubber (NR) composites were determined, and the effects of fiber surface treatment and fiber mass fraction on the mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. Chromic acid was used to modify the UHMWPE fibers, and the results showed that the surface roughness and the oxygen‐containing groups on the surface of the fibers could be effectively increased. The NR matrix composites were prepared with as‐received and chromic acid treated UHMWPE fibers added 0–6 wt%. The treated UHMWPE fibers increased the elongation at break, tear strength, and hardness of the NR composites, especially the tensile stress at a given elongation, but reduced the tensile strength. The elongation at break increased markedly with increasing fiber mass fraction, attained maximum values at 3.0 wt%, and then decreased. The tear strength and hardness exhibited continuous increase with increasing the fiber content. Several microfibrillations between the fiber and NR matrix were observed from SEM images of the fractured surfaces of the treated UHMWPE fibers/NR composites, which meant that the interfacial adhesion strength was improved. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:1215–1220, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Dynamic mechanical properties of the chemical oxidation on UHMWPE fibers for improved adhesion to epoxy resin matrix

The improved adhesion of an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber to an epoxy from applying polypyrrole (PPy) was investigated using chemical oxidation polymerization. The interfacial shear strength of the PPy-treated fiber/epoxy was enhanced by 280%. Such an improvement was verified in the previous research using a pull-out test. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and a morphological examination were performed to evaluate the characteristics of the molecular motions of the UHMWPE fiber/PPy/epoxy composites. Two composite materials, a UHMWPE fiber/PPy and a UHMWPE fiber/PPy/epoxy, were tested by DMA. The results show that both the α_c transitions of the PPy-treated fibers and its composites shift toward higher temperature. In the SEM photos of the UHMWPE fiber/PPy, a very clear roughening effect on the surface of PPy-treated UHMWPE fiber was also observed, which contributes much to the modification of the interface to the epoxy. The results show that an adhesion improvement mechanism for the PPy-treaded UHMWPE fiber is due to the surface roughening effect and the intermolecular interaction. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 68: 1387–1395, 1998     

Production and characterization of UHMWPE/fumed silica nanocomposites

Ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/fumed silica nanocomposites were prepared via in situ polymerization using a bi‐supported Ziegler‐Natta catalytic system. Nanocomposites with different nanoparticle weight fractions were produced in order to investigate the effect of fumed silica on thermal and mechanical properties of UHMWPE/fumed silica nanocomposites. The viscosity average molecular weight (M ) of all samples including pure UHMWPE as the reference sample and nanocomposites were measured. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed the homogenous dispersion of nanoparticles throughout the UHMWPE matrix while no nanoparticle cluster has been formed. Crystallization behavior of nanocomposites was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which showed a slight increase in melting temperature by enhancing the nanoparticle concentration while no significant change was observed in the crystallization temperature as the fumed silica concentration enhanced. The improvement in all thermal stability parameters was recorded by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Besides, via tensile testing, it was confirmed that addition of nanoparticles caused considerable improvement in such mechanical properties as Young's modulus, yield stress, and tensile strength of samples while the elongation at break declined by addition of more nanoparticles. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Surface modification of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene fiber by different kinds of SiO2 nanoparticles

We successfully improved the interfacial adhesion strength between ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and resin by the surface modification of UHMWPE fiber with two kinds of SiO₂ nanoparticles through gel spinning process. Modified effect of treated SiO₂ nanoparticles by coupling agent was superior to original SiO₂ nanoparticles. Compared with unmodified fibers, pull‐out tests of modified UHMWPE/treated SiO₂ fibers revealed that interfacial adhesion strength increased by the maximum of 10.95%, but corresponding breaking strength decreased by 8.51%. In addition, the interfacial adhesion strength and breaking strength could continue to enhance with increasing the additive amount of treated SiO₂ nanoparticles. The results of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) indicated that the crystallinity of all modified fibers decreased while crystallite dimension increased, and the surface of modified fibers by treated SiO₂ nanoparticles exhibited polar functional group (C=O). The superiority of this modified technology was that it realized the bulk industrial production and maneuverability, low cost, and no pollution. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:1928–1936, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Extrusion of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene under ultrasonic vibration field

The effects of polypropylene (PP) and ultrasonic irradiation on the processing and mechanical properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are studied. The results show that PP can effectively improve the fluidity and mechanical properties of UHMWPE. The Izod notched impact strength increases from 92 kJ/m² for pure UHMWPE to 109.2 kJ/m² for the blend of UHMWPE with 10 wt % PP. The Young's modulus increases from 528 MPa for pure UHMWPE to 1128 MPa when 25 wt % PP is contained in the blend, and the yield strength also rises when PP is added. The application of ultrasonic vibrations during extrusion can prominently decrease the die pressure and apparent viscosity of the melt, thus increasing the output of extrudate. An appropriate ultrasonic intensity and irradiation time can further promote the mechanical properties, while an overdose of irradiation destroys them. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 2628–2632, 2003     

Effect of the viscosity ratio on the morphology and properties of PET/HDPE blends with and without compatibilization

The influence of the molecular weight of polyethylene on the morphology and mechanical properties of blends of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) dispersed as droplets in a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) matrix at various compositions was investigated. The difference of morphologies can be easily explained by the influence of the molecular weight on the viscosity ratio and therefore, on the critical capillary number. The compatibilizing efficiency of copolymers containing glycidyl methacrylate groups was also addressed in relation to their nature, the protocol for their drying and the molecular weight of the HDPE phase. The increase of adhesion between PET and HDPE was found to have a larger influence on tensile properties than the reduction of interfacial tension. The amount of compatibilizer needed for adhesion improvement depends on the interfacial area that is defined by both the interfacial tension and viscosity ratio of the components. A qualitative relation between the optimum amount of compatibilizer and the critical capillary number can be written. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Interfacial adhesion between polymer separation layer and ceramic support for composite membrane

An in situ characterization method for mechanical and adhesive properties of organic/ceramic composite membranes is built on the basis of nanoindentation technique in this work. The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used as the separation layer with the support of porous ZrO₂/Al₂O₃ ceramic tubes. The effects of roughness of the ceramic support and the viscosity of PDMS solution on the mechanical properties of the PDMS separation layer and the interfacial adhesion at the interface were investigated in detail. It was found that when the roughness of the ceramic support increased and the viscosity of PDMS solution decreased, the interfacial adhesion strength of PDMS/ceramic composite membrane increased, but these two variables had little effect on the mechanical properties of the PDMS separation layer. Our results indicate that the mechanical interlocking dominates the adhesion between the PDMS separation layer and the porous ceramic support. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010     

Properties of UHMWPE fiber-reinforced composites

Based on our previous work, a new thermosetting resin system, named PCH, has been developed to be used as the matrix of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber composites in order to get improved interface bond and mechanical properties. In this work, UHMWPE fiber/PCH composites with different ratios of PCH/styrene were prepared and the impact resistance, dynamic mechanical properties, and dielectric properties of UHMWPE fiber/PCH composites were investigated. The interlaminar shear failure characteristic of composites was analyzed by introducing a series of energy indexes indicating the energy absorbed in interlaminar shear failure process, which show good correlation with interlaminar shear strength of samples. UHMWPE fiber/PCH composites have excellent impact property, and the impact strength can reach 140.8 kJ/m² as the ratio of PCH/styrene is 60/40. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that UHMWPE fiber/PCH composites have high storage moduli (E′) and low dissipation factor (tan δ) and these properties are influenced by the interfacial adhesion. The dielectric property test demonstrated that UHMWPE fiber/PCH composites have low dielectric constant (2.20 < ε′ < 2.55) and dielectric loss tangent (1.50 × 10^?3 < tan δ < 1.81 × 10^?2) and show good stability in a large range of frequency and temperature.