Roller drawing of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

The roller drawing of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) sheets were carried out in the roller temperature T_r range of 100–140°C. In addition to the roller drawing in the solid state (T_r = 100°C), we attempted to crystallize the molten UHMW-PE sheet under the roller-drawing process (T_r = 100–140°C). The tensile and dynamic viscoelastic properties, the molecular orientation, and the microstructure of the roller-drawn UHMW-PE sheets were investigated. The mechanical properties of UHMW-PE sheets were much improved by crystallization during the roller drawing process at T_r = 140°C. The sheets roller-drawn at T_r = 135 and 140°C exhibited c-axis orientation to the draw direction and (100) alignment in the sheet plane. However, at T_r = 100°C the elastic motion of the amorphous chains induces the twinnings of lattice, which enhances the transition to the (110) alignment in the sheet plane. The dynamic storage modulus below γ-dispersion temperature showed good correlation with crystallinity and orientation functions, while taut tie molecules and thick crystallites play an important role in the storage modulus above γ-dipersion temperature.