Studies On Composition Organization And Performances Of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Composites

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is the linear thermoplastic engineering plastics. Its perfect properties such as resistant to impact and press; chemical corrosion resistance and self-lubricating etc are superior to the other materials'. On the other hand, some shortages still exist: since its molecular chain is too long to be easy to intertwist; hard to processing, lower surface hardness, poor wear and tear and so on. These defects limit its application. Filling the different fillers in UHWMPE is one of the simple and effective methods to modify the properties of UHMWPE, aiming to make up its deficiency. In this paper, by means of the components design and processing research, the glass bead, nano-montmorillonite, graphite and glass fiber as fillers were filled into ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) respectively, adopting ball-milling then hot press molding method, the UHMWPE composites were prepared successfully. And the microstructure morphology; mechanical, friction and wear properties and thermal characteristics were investigated. It will lay the solid foundation for the developing applications of UHMWPE composites.The results indicated that: The performances, such as morphology, tensile strength, impact strength, elongation at break, fraction wear and thermal characteristics, of composites with different filler were in great difference. UHMWPE didn't degraded and produced a new phase during the process procedure. The bonding of interface between glass bead, glass fiber and UHMWPE were not firm, but nano-montmorillonite and graphite as filler dispersed in matrix evenly and coupling tight. Due to filling the fillers, the tensile strength, impact strength and elongation at break decreased in varying degree compared with that of simple UHMWPE, but impact strengths reduced only a few; however the wear resistance of composite filled by graphite was improved obviously; the thermal distortion temperatures of all UHMWPE composites increased but crystallinities were on the other way round. In the general, the performances of UHMWPE composites taking graphite as filler were the best.