(766d) The Importance of Crystalline Structure on the Tensile Properties of Uhmwpe
AIChE Annual Meeting
2017
2017 Annual Meeting
Materials Engineering and Sciences Division
Structure and Properties in Polymers
Thursday, November 2, 2017 - 4:15pm to 4:30pm
A.J. Pennings experimentally established a set of gel spinning conditions to produce stiff and strong ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers in a series of papers that concluded slow spinning speeds and low draw ratios produce crystal morphology better suited for post drawing. Recent research has suggested that the initial structure of gel-spun fibers is irrelevant and with proper post-drawing parameters, fibers comparable to state of the art systems can be produced. In this work, we resolve the literature contradictions by utilizing a novel gel-spinning apparatus with precise control of extensional flow, and timescale properties of the spinning process. This allows for detailed analysis of the as-spun fiber in terms of conditions experienced during initial processing, specifically strain rate, and draw ratio. The crystalline structure of various as-spun fibers will be classified by small angle x-ray scattering, and correlated to the processing conditions. Post drawing and final mechanical property measurement is performed on a modified extensional rheometer. This information will provide an understanding of the effects of gel-spinning on fiber morphology and mechanical properties, and to answer if certain gel-spun fibers produce superior post drawn fibers.