UHMW-PEF：Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fiber Do you know about this special functional yarn?

Please take a few minutes to learn about this fast-growing application of yarn, which may help with the development and production of your products.

?

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is a scarce material worldwide. The world's total output of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber is about 15,000 tons per year, and the demand is about 30,000 tons. Industry experts predict that the annual demand for international ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber market will reach 50,000 tons in recent years, and the fiber demand will reach more than 100,000 tons in the future. However, apart from China, there are only three countries in the world that can industrially produce ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers: the Netherlands, the United States, and Japan, and their total output does not exceed 10,000 tons.

In addition, due to the needs of the world's anti-terrorism situation, the application of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber in the field of bulletproof has also maintained a steady momentum. In the future, we will focus on improving its heat resistance, creep properties and adhesion to resin, and vigorously expand its application in large civilian markets such as composite materials, cables, and fishery cages.

(2004 Statistics Report).

?

Special properties:

1. High specific strength and high specific modulus. The specific strength is more than ten times that of steel wire of the same cross-section, and the specific modulus is second only to super carbon fiber.

2. The fiber density is low, the density is 0.97-0.98g/cm3, and it can float on the water.

3. It has low elongation at break, high work of break, and strong ability to absorb energy, so it has outstanding impact resistance and cutting resistance.

4. Resistant to ultraviolet radiation, neutrons and gamma rays, high specific energy absorption, low dielectric constant, and high electromagnetic wave transmittance.

5. Resistant to chemical corrosion, wear resistance and long flexural life.

Physical properties:

Density: 0.97～0.98g/cm3. It is less dense than water and can float on water.

Strength: 2.8～4N/tex.

Modulus: 91～140N/tex.

Elongation: 3.5%~3.7%.

The impact absorption energy is nearly twice that of para-aramid fiber, and it has good wear resistance and small friction coefficient, but its melting point under stress is only 145~160℃.

?

Performance Testing:

Due to the high specific strength and high specific modulus of polyethylene fiber. The specific strength is more than 10 times that of steel wire of the same cross-section, and the specific modulus is second only to super-grade carbon fiber. Its strength and elongation test requires much higher performance requirements on the strength tester than ordinary fibers. Only the high-strength and high-modulus fiber strength tester with pneumatic gripper can meet the tensile performance testing requirements of high-performance polyethylene fibers.

?

Application prospects:

1) National defense

Because the fiber has good impact resistance and high specific energy absorption, it can be made into protective clothing, helmets, and bulletproof materials in the military, such as armored shields for helicopters, tanks, and ships, protective shell covers for radars, and missile covers. , bulletproof vests, stab-proof vests, shields, etc. Among them, the application of bulletproof vests is the most eye-catching. It has the advantage of being lightweight and has better bulletproof effect than aramid. It has now become the main fiber occupying the US bulletproof vest market. In addition, the specific impact load value U/p of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber composite materials is 10 times that of steel and more than twice that of glass fiber and aramid. Bulletproof and anti-riot helmets made of this fiber-reinforced resin composite material abroad have become a substitute for steel helmets and aramid-reinforced composite helmets.

?

2) Aviation:

In aerospace engineering, due to its light weight, high strength and good impact resistance, the fiber composite material is suitable for wingtip structures of various aircraft, spacecraft structures and buoy aircraft. The fiber can also be used as a deceleration parachute for space shuttle landings and as a rope for suspending heavy objects on aircraft, replacing traditional steel cables and synthetic fiber ropes. Its development is extremely rapid.

?

3) Civil use:

(1) Applications in ropes and cables: Ropes, cables, sails and fishing gear made of this fiber are suitable for marine engineering and are the original use of this fiber. It is widely used in negative-load ropes, heavy-duty ropes, rescue ropes, towing ropes, sailing ropes and fishing lines. The breaking length of a rope made of this fiber under its own weight is 8 times that of a steel rope and 2 times that of aramid. This rope is used as a fixed anchor rope for supertankers, marine operating platforms, lighthouses, etc. It solves the problem of rust encountered in the past when using steel cables and corrosion, hydrolysis, ultraviolet degradation, etc. caused by nylon and polyester cables. , the problem of frequent replacement.

(2) Sports equipment: Sports equipment has been made into helmets, skis, sailboards, fishing rods, rackets and bicycles, gliding boards, ultra-lightweight aircraft parts, etc., and their performance is better than traditional materials.

(3) Used as biomaterials: This fiber-reinforced composite material is used in dental tray materials, medical implants, plastic sutures, etc. It has good biocompatibility and durability, and has high stability and will not Causes allergies and has been used clinically. It is also used in medical gloves and other medical measures.

(4) In industry, the fiber and its composite materials can be used as pressure-resistant containers, conveyor belts, filter materials, automobile buffer boards, etc.; in construction, it can be used as walls, partition structures, etc., and it can be used as reinforced cement composite materials. Improve the toughness of cement and improve its impact resistance.