Options
2018
Journal Article
Title
Wear resistant all-PE single-component composites via 1D nanostructure formation during melt processing
Abstract
Melt-flow-induced crystallization of polyethylene blends having tailored ultrabroad molar mass distribution affords extended-chain ultrahigh molar mass (UHMWPE) nanophases resembling nanofibers which effectively reinforce the polyethylene matrix. Unparalleled by state-of-the-art high density polyethylene (HDPE), the resulting melt-processable all-polyethylene single component composites exhibit simultaneously improved wear resistance, toughness, stiffness and strength. Key intermediates are trimodal blends prepared by melt compounding HDPE with bimodal UHMWPE/HDPE wax reactor blends (RB) readily tailored by ethylene polymerization on supported two-site catalysts. Whereas HDPE wax, varied up to 54 wt.-%, serves as processing aid lowering melt viscosity, UHMWPE varied up to 63 wt.-% accounts for improved blend properties. UHMWPE platelet-like nanophase separate during ethylene polymerization and readily melt during injection molding of RB/HDPE blends producing extended-chain fiber-like UHMWPE nanostructures of 100 nm diameter as shish which nucleate HDPE and HDPE wax crystallization to form shish-kebab-like structures. At 32 wt.-% UHMWPE content shish-kebab-like reinforcing phases account for massive polyethylene self-reinforcement as reflected by improved Young's modulus (+420%), tensile strength (+740%) and notched Izod impact strength (+650%) without impairing HDPE injection molding. All-PE composites exhibit high wear resistance entering ranges typical for polyamide and monomodal UHMWPE which is not processable by injection molding under identical conditions.
Author(s)
Hees, Timo
Freiburg Materials Research Center FMF and Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg
Zhong, Fan
Freiburg Materials Research Center FMF and Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg