Microstructural origin of physical and mechanical properties of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene processed by high velocity compaction

David Jauffres (1) , O. Lame (1) , Gérard Vigier (1) , Florence Dore (2)

1 MATEIS - Matériaux, ingénierie et science [Villeurbanne]
2 CEntre Technique des Industries Mécaniques - Cetim (FRANCE)

Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a semi-crystalline polymer with exceptional wear and impact properties, but also a very high melt viscosity, owing to its extremely long chains. Therefore, UHMWPE is non-melt processable and its processing is long and expensive. However, a new process, High Velocity Compaction (HVC), allows processing UHMWPE within short processing times via sintering. Several high velocity impacts are applied to a powder-filled die to provide self-heating. The sintering is then obtained by local fusion/recrystallization. In this study, the physical and mechanical properties of UHMWPE processed by HVC are investigated. Ductile UHMWPE with a high modulus was obtained. The particular microstructure of the material resulting from the sintering by fusion/recrystallization has then been characterized. It appears that mechanical properties of HVC-UHMWPE are governed by the microstructure induced by processing conditions, and hence can be adjusted for a given application.

Mots clés: Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene; High velocity compaction; Sintering

Domaines: Matériaux

David Jauffres, O. Lame, Gérard Vigier, Florence Dore. Microstructural origin of physical and mechanical properties of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene processed by high velocity compaction. Polymer, 2007, 48 (21), pp.6374-6383. ⟨10.1016/j.polymer.2007.07.058⟩. ⟨hal-00434141⟩