7 Application Areas of Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

30 Sep.,2024

 

7 Application Areas of Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE or UPE) refers to linear polyethylene with an average molecular weight of more than 1.5 million. It is also called high strength and high modulus polyethylene fiber. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, with carbon fiber and aramid fiber, is called the three high-performance fibers. It is the fiber with the highest specific strength and bullet proof performance among the industrial fiber materials. Due to its extremely high molecular weight, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene has the comprehensive use performance incomparable to ordinary polyethylene and other engineering plastics, and is called "amazing plastic" by many European and American countries. UHMWPE fiber has excellent properties such as high strength and high modulus, impact resistance, wear resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, electrical insulation and light resistance. Its specific strength is equivalent to 15 times of high-quality steel wire, 1.8 times of carbon fiber, and 1.6 times of aramid fiber. It has an ultra-low elongation at break, high energy absorption rate, soft and easy to bend, and the density is smaller than water. It is widely used in national defense and civil industry. It is the strategic material of the powerful nation and the powerful army. It is widely used in many industries. It is the first choice for making bulletproof clothing, bulletproof helmets and protective armor.

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 Key application areas of UHMWPE fiber

 01 national defense and military industry

UHMWPE fiber "as thin as paper, as hard as steel", the bulletproof and explosion-proof helmet made of UHMWPE fiber reinforced resin composite material has become a substitute for steel helmet and aramid fiber reinforced composite helmet.

 Foreign bulletproof helmet and explosion-proof helmet made of UHMWPE fiber reinforced resin composite material has gradually replaced steel helmet and aramid fiber composite helmet.

 With the improvement of national defense and military arms level, the demand driving force for UHMWPE fiber industry will be more and more.

 02 aerospace field

 In aerospace engineering, due to the lightweight, high strength and good impact resistance of the fiber composite material, it can be applied to the wing tip structure, spacecraft structure and buoy aircraft of various aircraft. The fiber can also be used as the deceleration parachute for space shuttle landing and the rope for suspending heavy objects on the aircraft, replacing the traditional steel cable and synthetic fiber rope, and its development speed is extremely rapid.

 03 marine field

 In the marine industry, UHMWPE fiber with its excellent performance has quickly become the main material of ropes and cables used at sea, mooring ropes of ships, ocean-going fishing nets and offshore aquaculture nets. The market demand to maintain strong growth, especially rope, cable and other rope net manufacturing, rope, cable made of UHMWPE, in the dead weight of the breaking length is much higher than steel rope and aramid fiber, and lighter than water, can float on the surface, and resistant to seawater corrosion and ultraviolet radiation, can ensure a longer service life. The future market demand will maintain strong growth.

 04 sports equipment field

 In the field of sports equipment, UHMWPE fiber can be made into helmet, ski board, sail board, fishing rod, racket and bicycle, gliding board, ultra-lightweight aircraft parts, etc., its performance is better than traditional materials.

 05 medical and health field

 In the field of medical and health, UHMWPE fiber reinforced composites for dental materials, medical implants and plastic suture, its biocompatibility and durability are good, and has high stability, will not cause allergies, has entered the clinical application. Can also be used for medical gloves and other medical equipment.

 06 construction field

 In the construction industry, UHMWPE fiber reinforced composites can be used for wall, partition structure, as reinforced cement composites can improve the toughness of cement, improve its impact resistance. UHMWPE fiber can also be used as building materials lifting rope, building safety net, hanging net, etc.

 07 other fields of application In industrial applications, UHMWPE fiber and composites can be used as pressure vessels, conveyor belts, filter materials, automobile buffer plates, etc. Because of the excellent wear resistance and impact resistance of UHMWPE fiber and composites, they can be used in the manufacturing industry to make various mechanical parts such as gears, cam, impeller, roller, pulley, bearing, bearing bush, sleeve, shaft cutting, gasket, gasket, elastic coupling, screw and so on.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit UHMWPE Fiber.

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Yancheng UHP New Material Co., Ltd. is specialized in the research and development, production and sales of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber. UHP company has an annual output of tons of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber production line, products are widely used in national defense industry, aerospace, aviation, safety protection, infrastructure, rope cable, wind power industry, automobile industry, sports goods and other high-end fields, enjoys a good reputation and reputation in the international application market.

What is Ultra-High Molecular-Weight Polyethylene ...

Polyethylene is the most commonly used plastic in the world, but how do you know if it&#;s the right yarn for your application? Consider the attributes of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) - a very tough subset of polyethylene that has a strength to weight ratio 8-15 times greater than steel.

Commonly known by the trade names of Spectra® and Dyneema®, UHMWPE plastics and yarns are primarily used for:

  • Ballistic uses (Body Armor, Armor Plating)
  • Sports and leisure (skydiving, skiing, boating, fishing)
  • Ropes and cordage
  • Bulk material handling
  • Porous parts and filter
  • Automotive industry
  • Chemical industry
  • Food processing and beverage machinery
  • Mining and mineral processing equipment
  • Manufacturing equipment
  • Civil engineering and earthmoving equipment
  • Transport-related applications, including truck trays, bins and hoppers.

As you can see UHMWPE has a diverse range of uses from manufacturing to medical as well as in wire and cable applications. This is due to its long list of benefits which meet specific requirements for many different jobs.

The advantages of UHMWPE include, but are not limited to:

  • Excellent resistance to stress and high resistant to cracking
  • Abrasion wear resistance &#; 15 times more resistant to abrasion than carbon steel
  • Its 40% Stronger than Aramid yarns
  • Its strong chemical resistance - highly resilient to most alkalis and acid, organic solvents, degreasing agents and electrolytic attack
  • It&#;s non-toxic
  • Excellent dielectric properties
  • Self-lubricating &#; very low coefficient of friction (comparable to PTFE)
  • Non-staining
  • FDA approved for use in food and medical applications
  • Low specific gravity &#; will float in water

While this may sound like an ideal material, there are also a few disadvantages you should be aware of. UHMWPE has a lower melting point (297° to 305° F) than many common polymers, therefore it&#;s not suitable for high temperature applications. It also has a low coefficient of friction which can be a drawback depending on the application. UHMWPE yarns can also develop &#;creep&#; under a constant load, which is a process of gradual elongation of the fibers. Some people may consider the price to be a disadvantage, however when it comes to UHMWPE, less is more. Given the strength of this material you would not need to buy as much as you would with other materials.

Still wondering whether or not UHMWPE is right for your product? Service Thread develops and delivers engineered yarns and sewing threads to solve product and processing problems for our customers. Proactive, personalized service is wound into everything we do. Contact us to find out what fiber is best for your application.

 

Information on other high performance fibers:

Vectran&#; vs. Aramid

What is Vectran&#;?

Para-Aramid vs. Meta-Aramid

Kevlar® Alternatives

Aramid Applications

 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Bullet-Proof Helmet.