Market discussion on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene materials
Thread Content
This post was last edited by QXZ-1966 on 2009-5-7 at 22:26. Dear polymer experts, our company is located in the heart of Qilu Petrochemical Company, a typical plastic processing area. We are very interested in high-molecular-weight polyethylene materials. However, the market currently offers sheets, pipes, as well as pipe fittings and valves; we’re not sure which of these products has higher demand and better development prospects. If any of you experts have information regarding the market, please feel free to share it What interests us the most are sheets of material; please help if you have any information on this topic. Thank you again. Phone: 13853339464 Contact person: Mr. Ma Email: mayuanbin@163.com This post was last edited by QXZ-1966 on 2009-3-13 15:23
I also want to learn more about UHMWPE. Who can help me? Thank you
This post was last edited by QXZ-1966 on 2009-5-11 at 18:26. I. Introduction Polyethylene is one of the plastics with the highest production volume and widest range of applications; it accounts for approximately 30% of the world’s total plastic production. Among them, LDPE, HDPE, and LLDPE, known as the third generation of polyethylenes, all belong to thermoplastic general-purpose plastics; only UHMEPE, with a molecular weight of over 1.5 million, is used as an engineering plastic due to its excellent physical and mechanical properties. According to the classification method of Phillips Petroleum in the United States, polyethylene with a molecular weight of over 1.5 million is called “UHMWPE”. German company Hoechst, American company Hercules, and Japanese company Mitsui Petrochemical are the three major companies in the world that produce UHMWPE. In China, the main manufacturers are Beijing Auxiliary Chemicals Factory No. 2 and Shanghai Kaqiao Petrochemical Company’s chemical plant. II. Performance The extremely high molecular weight of UHMWPE (the molecular weight of HDPE is usually only 20,000 to 300,000) endows it with excellent performance characteristics. It is a thermoplastic engineering plastic that offers good value for money and outstanding properties; it combines the advantages of various plastics, possessing comprehensive characteristics such as wear resistance, impact resistance, self-lubrication, corrosion resistance, ability to absorb impact energy, low-temperature tolerance, hygiene and non-toxicity, resistance to sticking, low water absorption, and a low density – qualities that are unmatched by ordinary polyethylene and other engineering plastics. In fact, there is currently no single polymer material that possesses so many excellent properties. 1. Wear resistance UHMWPE has the highest wear resistance among plastics, and it even exceeds that of some metals. Figure 1 shows a comparison of the wear resistance of UHMWPE with other materials. As can be seen from Figure 1, compared with other engineering plastics, the mortar abrasion index of UHMWPE is only 1/5 that of PA66, and 1/10 that of HEPE and PVC ； Compared to metals, it is 1/7 of carbon steel and 1/27 of brass. The wear resistance is so high that it is difficult to measure it using conventional plastic wear testing methods; therefore, a special mortar wear testing apparatus was designed. The wear resistance of UHMWPE is proportional to its molecular weight; the higher the molecular weight, the better its wear resistance. 2. Impact resistance The impact strength of UHMWPE is among the highest among all engineering plastics. Figure 2 shows a comparison of the impact strength of UHMWPE with that of other engineering plastics. As can be seen from Figure 2, the impact strength of UHMWPE is approximately twice that of impact-resistant PC, five times that of ABS, and more than 10 times that of POM and PBTP. Its impact resistance is so high that it is difficult to cause it to fracture using conventional impact testing methods. Its impact strength increases as the molecular weight increases, reaching a maximum at a molecular weight of 1.5 million, and then gradually decreases as the molecular weight continues to rise. It is worth noting that it maintains excellent impact strength even in liquid nitrogen at -195°C, a property that other plastics do not possess. Furthermore, its surface hardness is higher under repeated impacts. 3. Self-lubricating property UHMWPE has an extremely low coefficient of friction (0.05–0.11), hence it exhibits excellent self-lubricating properties. Table 1 shows a comparison of the friction coefficients between UHMWPE and other engineering plastics. As can be seen from Table 1, the dynamic friction coefficient of UHMWPE is half that of PA66 and POM under water-lubricated conditions, and it ranks second only to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which has the best self-lubricating properties among plastics, under non-lubricated conditions ； When it operates in a sliding or rotating manner, its lubricity is even better than that of steel and brass when lubricated. Therefore, in the field of tribology, UHMWPE is regarded as a friction material with an extremely favorable cost/performance ratio. Name Coefficient of Friction Self-lubrication Water Lubrication Oil Lubrication
UHMWPE 0.10–0.22 0.05–0.10 0.05–0.08
PTFE 0.04–0.25 0.04–0.08 0.04–0.05
PA66 0.15–0.40 0.14–0.19 0.06–0.11
POM 0.15–0.35 0.10–0.20 0.05–0.10
Table 1 Comparison of Coefficients of Friction between UHMWPE and Other Engineering Plastics
4. Chemical Resistance
UHMWPE exhibits excellent chemical resistance; aside from strongly oxidizing acids, it can resist various corrosive substances (acids, bases, salts) as well as organic substances (except aromatic solvents) within certain temperature and concentration ranges. When immersed in 80 organic solvents at 20°C and 80°C for 30 days, no abnormal phenomena were observed on its surface, and its other physical properties remained almost unchanged. 5. Impact energy absorption: UHMWPE possesses excellent impact energy absorption capabilities; its impact energy absorption value is the highest among all plastics. As a result, it has good noise damping properties and offers outstanding sound reduction effects. 6. Low-temperature resistance UHMWPE possesses excellent low-temperature resistance and remains ductile at liquid helium temperatures (-269°C), making it suitable for use as low-temperature components in the nuclear industry. 7. Hygienic and non-toxic: UHMWPE is hygienic and non-toxic, fully meeting the standards of the Japanese Hygiene Association, and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture; it can be used in contact with food and drugs. 8. Non-stick property: The surface of UHMWPE has a very weak adsorption capacity; its resistance to sticking is second only to PTFE, which is the most non-stick material among plastics. As a result, the surface of products made from UHMWPE does not stick easily to other materials. 9. Low water absorption: UHMWPE has a very low water absorption rate ； It is generally less than 0.01%, only 1% of that of PA66, so drying is usually not necessary before molding. 10. Density Table 2 shows a comparison of the density of UHMWPE with that of other engineering plastics. As can be seen from Table 2, the density of UHMWPE is lower than that of all other engineering plastics; it is generally 56% lower than PTFE, 33% lower than POM, and 30% lower than PBTP. Therefore, its products are very lightweight. Name Relative density; Density of UHMWPE compared to this value/% PTFE 2.012 56 POM 1.41 33 PBTP 1.31 30 PC 1.20 22 PA 1.02–1.14 8–18 UHMWPE 0.94 Table 2: Comparison of densities between UHMWPE and other engineering plastics 11. Tensile strength Due to its structural characteristics that are ideal for tension orientation, UHMWPE possesses an exceptionally high tensile strength. Fibers with extremely high elastic modulus and strength can be produced using the gel spinning method; these fibers have a tensile strength of up to 3–3.5 GPa and an elastic modulus of up to 100–125 GPa ； The specific strength of this fiber is the highest among all fibers that are currently available on the market; it is 4 times greater than that of carbon fiber, 10 times greater than that of steel wire, and 50% greater than that of aramid fibers. 12. Other properties UHMWPE also possesses excellent electrical insulation properties, better resistance to environmental stress cracking compared to HDPE, as well as improved fatigue resistance and resistance to r-rays. III. Applications Currently, UHMWPE is widely used in industries such as textiles, papermaking, packaging, transportation, printing, chemicals, mining, petroleum, construction, electricity, food, medicine, and sports. It is also beginning to find applications in areas such as conventional weapons, ships, and automobiles. In the future, it will also be expanded to fields such as aerospace and nuclear energy. 1. Applications requiring high wear resistance and impact resistance 1.1 Textile machinery Textile machinery is the earliest field in which UHMWPE has been used. As early as 1958, several companies began using UHMWPE to manufacture components that protect mechanical parts; for example, it was used to replace the traditionally used water buffalo leather in looms, offering greater durability. These components can withstand vibrations and impacts at a rate of 40–180 times per minute, and their lifespan is 5–6 times longer than that of components made from water buffalo leather. Currently, abroad, there are on average around 30 UHMWPE components used per weaving loom, such as impact and wear-resistant parts like shuttle lancets, shuttle rods, gears, couplings, pick-up rods, buffer blocks, rod bushings, and swinging back beams. 1.2 Papermaking Machinery Papermaking machinery represents the second industrial sector in which UHMWPE is used. Around 1960, UHMWPE anti-wear strips were installed for the first time on the conveyor systems of wood chippers, providing effective protection for the bottom plates and chains; after 5 years of use, almost no wear was observed. It is estimated that the lifespan of wear-resistant strips is more than twice that of chains. Wear-resistant materials such as UHMWPE, stainless steel, maple wood, cast polyurethane, and laminated phenolic plastics are all used for water tank covers. Importantly, UHMWPE covers exert less resistance on the stainless steel mesh in the water tank compared to other materials, thereby extending the service life of the expensive stainless steel mesh. Today, UHMWPE used in the papermaking industry accounts for 10% of the total amount; it is employed to manufacture components such as wiper blades, water tank covers, compaction elements, and joints in papermaking machines ； Furthermore, UHMWPE can also be used to manufacture components such as sealing shafts, idler wheels, scrapers, and filters for papermaking machinery. 1.3 Packaging Machinery The high wear resistance, low friction coefficient, and non-stick properties of UHMWPE make it more suitable for use in packaging machinery than certain metals and other plastics, allowing it to replace phosphor bronze and fluoroplastics. Replacing modified fluoroplastics with UHMWPE for making guides, slider seats of conveying devices, fixing plates, etc., not only **reduces equipment investment costs but also extends the service life by 10 to 50 times. In a liquid detergent production line, replacing the original laminated thermosetting plastic with UHMWPE in the timing gear has solved the problems of wear and tear, scratches on bottles, and softening that used to occur; this has **reduced the costs associated with spare parts. Timing screws made of UHMWPE are also now used as standard components in many bottling lines. A large beer brewery in the West manufactured a belt-type bottle conveyor about 1.6 km long using UHMWPE, which is several times more durable than conveyors made of phosphor bronze. On the conveyor belt of an automobile assembly plant abroad, chain-driven sprockets move carts across a steel plate conveyor; due to the friction between the chain and the steel plates, the chain tends to get damaged very easily. Replacing steel plates with UHMWPE sheets reduces wear** and also lowers power consumption. 1.4 General Machinery Due to its excellent wear resistance and impact resistance, UHMWPE is widely used in the machinery manufacturing industry; it can be used to produce various mechanical components such as gears, cams, impellers, rollers, pulleys, bearings, bushings, shaft sleeves, shafts, gaskets, seals, elastic couplings, screws, and more. 2. Applications emphasizing self-lubrication and non-stick properties 2.1. Material storage and transportation UHMWPE can be used to manufacture linings for hoppers, silos, and chutes used for storing powdered materials such as coal, cement, lime, mineral powder, salt, and grains. Thanks to its excellent self-lubricating and non-stick properties, it prevents these powdered materials from sticking to the storage and transportation equipment, ensuring stable transportation. Hoppers used for transporting coal, mineral powder, grain, and similar materials were previously lined with stainless steel for packaging purposes; now, UHMWPE linings are used instead. This reduces heat generation over time. The hoppers used by Baosteel for transporting ore are lined with UHMWPE, which extends their service life by 10 to 50 times compared to the metal materials used before. Using UHMWPE for hopper linings simplifies construction and reduces costs; therefore, the feeding hoppers used for coal transport in large power plants are also lined with UHMWPE. The coal chutes in the coal mining area are made of UHMWPE, which allows for a reduction in the inclination angle and thus an increase in the amount of coal that can be mined. It can transport 400,000 tons of coal without the need to replace the material chute, and its service life is twice that of chutes lined with magnesium alloy. UHMWPE is used in solid transport pipelines for flowing sand and similar materials; compared to steel pipes, its service life is 18 times longer and its cost is 1/25 of that, while compared to nylon pipes, its service life is 3 times longer and its cost is 1/8 of that. During transportation, the internal resistance in the pipe is 25% lower than that of metal pipes, **improving transportation efficiency. When traditional metal materials are used for components such as chutes, buckets, and the linings of ore cars, the material will freeze to the metal in cold and humid weather; however, this does not happen with UHMWPE, thereby **reducing unloading time. After lining the dump funnel of the bulk carrier with a layer of UHMWPE sheet, the average unloading time was reduced from 16–20 hours to 8 hours. 2.2 Agricultural and construction machinery UHMWPE boasts excellent self-lubricating properties; mud can slide easily over its surface without sticking. Additionally, it has good impact resistance and wear resistance, making it suitable for use in manufacturing components for agricultural and construction machinery. Items such as the sliding plates of harvesters, the outer lining plates of plows, the scrapers of soil removal machines, the inner linings of excavator buckets, and the interiors of dump truck compartments can significantly improve work efficiency and reduce energy consumption. 2.3 Stationery items Taking advantage of UHMWPE’s self-lubricating properties, wear resistance, and cold resistance, it can be used in the bottoms of skates and snowboards; in Europe and the United States, UHMWPE is primarily used for this purpose ； By covering the ski slope with UHMWPE (with a layer thickness of 20 mm), the maximum speed of the skates can reach 110 km/h. The UHMWPE skating rink manufactured by Japan’s Mitsui Petrochemical Company was opened to the public in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1975, and its construction cost was 1/4 that of a regular skating rink. 3. Applications emphasizing corrosion resistance and water resistance UHMWPE possesses excellent chemical stability and water resistance, making it suitable as a lining material for various solution storage devices as well as for large-scale packaging containers such as floats, water collection tanks, gasoline tanks, pesticide containers, and water drainage containers used in solar energy systems. This is also one of the fields where UHMWPE is currently most widely used. UHMWPE containers possess excellent impact strength under drop testing. If the container is filled with 20 kg of water and dropped from a great height onto an iron plate 10 mm thick, the breaking height for a conventional polyethylene container is only 9 M, whereas that for a UHMWPE container can exceed 15 M. 4. Applications emphasizing hygiene and non-toxicity 4.1. Food and beverage industry UHMWPE possesses the non-toxicity, water resistance, and non-stick properties required by the food industry. Designated as a material that can be used in direct contact with food. It can be used in conveyor systems for beer, soft drinks, seasonings, etc. When transporting items, it prevents bottles and similar objects from breaking, reduces noise, minimizes wear on conveyor belts and screws, and lowers power consumption. It can also be used to manufacture components for equipment used in the production of meat, milk, as well as candies, preserves, and bread products. 4.2 Medical Applications UHMWPE possesses excellent physiological inertness and adaptability. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture, it can be used in medical applications where it comes into contact with the human body. It is used in clinical settings such as for heart valves, orthopedic components, artificial joints, and contraceptive implants, making it an ideal polymer material for medical use. Artificial hips composed of a glenoid made of UHMWPE and a metal femur exhibit superior wear resistance and safety compared to PTFE. To date, hundreds of thousands of people around the world have undergone replacement with such artificial joints. 5. Applications of other properties 5.1. Applications in low-temperature resistance UHMWPE possesses excellent low-temperature resistance, making it suitable for use in various freezing machines. It can also serve as components resistant to low temperatures in the nuclear industry, and is an ideal insulating material in the field of low-temperature superconductivity. UHMWPE provides excellent radiation shielding, making it suitable for use as shielding panels in nuclear power plants. 5.2 Applications in Electrical Insulation UHMWPE possesses excellent electrical insulating properties, particularly a low dielectric loss tangent value; it can be used to manufacture plating tanks, rollers, as well as insulators and insulating brackets that operate in the high-frequency and ultra-high-frequency ranges. It is also suitable for use in cable conduits, circuit breakers, cable terminals, and other electrical devices. IV. Limitations Compared to other engineering plastics, UHMWPE has lower heat resistance, stiffness, and hardness, but these properties can be improved through methods such as \"filling\" and \"cross-linking\" ； In terms of heat resistance, the melting point of UHMWPE (136°C) is roughly the same as that of ordinary polyethylene; however, due to its high molecular weight and high melt viscosity, it is difficult to process.
UHMWPE 0.10–0.22 0.05–0.10 0.05–0.08
PTFE 0.04–0.25 0.04–0.08 0.04–0.05
PA66 0.15–0.40 0.14–0.19 0.06–0.11
POM 0.15–0.35 0.10–0.20 0.05–0.10
Table 1 Comparison of Coefficients of Friction between UHMWPE and Other Engineering Plastics
4. Chemical Resistance
UHMWPE exhibits excellent chemical resistance; aside from strongly oxidizing acids, it can resist various corrosive substances (acids, bases, salts) as well as organic substances (except aromatic solvents) within certain temperature and concentration ranges. When immersed in 80 organic solvents at 20°C and 80°C for 30 days, no abnormal phenomena were observed on its surface, and its other physical properties remained almost unchanged. 5. Impact energy absorption: UHMWPE possesses excellent impact energy absorption capabilities; its impact energy absorption value is the highest among all plastics. As a result, it has good noise damping properties and offers outstanding sound reduction effects. 6. Low-temperature resistance UHMWPE possesses excellent low-temperature resistance and remains ductile at liquid helium temperatures (-269°C), making it suitable for use as low-temperature components in the nuclear industry. 7. Hygienic and non-toxic: UHMWPE is hygienic and non-toxic, fully meeting the standards of the Japanese Hygiene Association, and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture; it can be used in contact with food and drugs. 8. Non-stick property: The surface of UHMWPE has a very weak adsorption capacity; its resistance to sticking is second only to PTFE, which is the most non-stick material among plastics. As a result, the surface of products made from UHMWPE does not stick easily to other materials. 9. Low water absorption: UHMWPE has a very low water absorption rate ； It is generally less than 0.01%, only 1% of that of PA66, so drying is usually not necessary before molding. 10. Density Table 2 shows a comparison of the density of UHMWPE with that of other engineering plastics. As can be seen from Table 2, the density of UHMWPE is lower than that of all other engineering plastics; it is generally 56% lower than PTFE, 33% lower than POM, and 30% lower than PBTP. Therefore, its products are very lightweight. Name Relative density; Density of UHMWPE compared to this value/% PTFE 2.012 56 POM 1.41 33 PBTP 1.31 30 PC 1.20 22 PA 1.02–1.14 8–18 UHMWPE 0.94 Table 2: Comparison of densities between UHMWPE and other engineering plastics 11. Tensile strength Due to its structural characteristics that are ideal for tension orientation, UHMWPE possesses an exceptionally high tensile strength. Fibers with extremely high elastic modulus and strength can be produced using the gel spinning method; these fibers have a tensile strength of up to 3–3.5 GPa and an elastic modulus of up to 100–125 GPa ； The specific strength of this fiber is the highest among all fibers that are currently available on the market; it is 4 times greater than that of carbon fiber, 10 times greater than that of steel wire, and 50% greater than that of aramid fibers. 12. Other properties UHMWPE also possesses excellent electrical insulation properties, better resistance to environmental stress cracking compared to HDPE, as well as improved fatigue resistance and resistance to r-rays. III. Applications Currently, UHMWPE is widely used in industries such as textiles, papermaking, packaging, transportation, printing, chemicals, mining, petroleum, construction, electricity, food, medicine, and sports. It is also beginning to find applications in areas such as conventional weapons, ships, and automobiles. In the future, it will also be expanded to fields such as aerospace and nuclear energy. 1. Applications requiring high wear resistance and impact resistance 1.1 Textile machinery Textile machinery is the earliest field in which UHMWPE has been used. As early as 1958, several companies began using UHMWPE to manufacture components that protect mechanical parts; for example, it was used to replace the traditionally used water buffalo leather in looms, offering greater durability. These components can withstand vibrations and impacts at a rate of 40–180 times per minute, and their lifespan is 5–6 times longer than that of components made from water buffalo leather. Currently, abroad, there are on average around 30 UHMWPE components used per weaving loom, such as impact and wear-resistant parts like shuttle lancets, shuttle rods, gears, couplings, pick-up rods, buffer blocks, rod bushings, and swinging back beams. 1.2 Papermaking Machinery Papermaking machinery represents the second industrial sector in which UHMWPE is used. Around 1960, UHMWPE anti-wear strips were installed for the first time on the conveyor systems of wood chippers, providing effective protection for the bottom plates and chains; after 5 years of use, almost no wear was observed. It is estimated that the lifespan of wear-resistant strips is more than twice that of chains. Wear-resistant materials such as UHMWPE, stainless steel, maple wood, cast polyurethane, and laminated phenolic plastics are all used for water tank covers. Importantly, UHMWPE covers exert less resistance on the stainless steel mesh in the water tank compared to other materials, thereby extending the service life of the expensive stainless steel mesh. Today, UHMWPE used in the papermaking industry accounts for 10% of the total amount; it is employed to manufacture components such as wiper blades, water tank covers, compaction elements, and joints in papermaking machines ； Furthermore, UHMWPE can also be used to manufacture components such as sealing shafts, idler wheels, scrapers, and filters for papermaking machinery. 1.3 Packaging Machinery The high wear resistance, low friction coefficient, and non-stick properties of UHMWPE make it more suitable for use in packaging machinery than certain metals and other plastics, allowing it to replace phosphor bronze and fluoroplastics. Replacing modified fluoroplastics with UHMWPE for making guides, slider seats of conveying devices, fixing plates, etc., not only **reduces equipment investment costs but also extends the service life by 10 to 50 times. In a liquid detergent production line, replacing the original laminated thermosetting plastic with UHMWPE in the timing gear has solved the problems of wear and tear, scratches on bottles, and softening that used to occur; this has **reduced the costs associated with spare parts. Timing screws made of UHMWPE are also now used as standard components in many bottling lines. A large beer brewery in the West manufactured a belt-type bottle conveyor about 1.6 km long using UHMWPE, which is several times more durable than conveyors made of phosphor bronze. On the conveyor belt of an automobile assembly plant abroad, chain-driven sprockets move carts across a steel plate conveyor; due to the friction between the chain and the steel plates, the chain tends to get damaged very easily. Replacing steel plates with UHMWPE sheets reduces wear** and also lowers power consumption. 1.4 General Machinery Due to its excellent wear resistance and impact resistance, UHMWPE is widely used in the machinery manufacturing industry; it can be used to produce various mechanical components such as gears, cams, impellers, rollers, pulleys, bearings, bushings, shaft sleeves, shafts, gaskets, seals, elastic couplings, screws, and more. 2. Applications emphasizing self-lubrication and non-stick properties 2.1. Material storage and transportation UHMWPE can be used to manufacture linings for hoppers, silos, and chutes used for storing powdered materials such as coal, cement, lime, mineral powder, salt, and grains. Thanks to its excellent self-lubricating and non-stick properties, it prevents these powdered materials from sticking to the storage and transportation equipment, ensuring stable transportation. Hoppers used for transporting coal, mineral powder, grain, and similar materials were previously lined with stainless steel for packaging purposes; now, UHMWPE linings are used instead. This reduces heat generation over time. The hoppers used by Baosteel for transporting ore are lined with UHMWPE, which extends their service life by 10 to 50 times compared to the metal materials used before. Using UHMWPE for hopper linings simplifies construction and reduces costs; therefore, the feeding hoppers used for coal transport in large power plants are also lined with UHMWPE. The coal chutes in the coal mining area are made of UHMWPE, which allows for a reduction in the inclination angle and thus an increase in the amount of coal that can be mined. It can transport 400,000 tons of coal without the need to replace the material chute, and its service life is twice that of chutes lined with magnesium alloy. UHMWPE is used in solid transport pipelines for flowing sand and similar materials; compared to steel pipes, its service life is 18 times longer and its cost is 1/25 of that, while compared to nylon pipes, its service life is 3 times longer and its cost is 1/8 of that. During transportation, the internal resistance in the pipe is 25% lower than that of metal pipes, **improving transportation efficiency. When traditional metal materials are used for components such as chutes, buckets, and the linings of ore cars, the material will freeze to the metal in cold and humid weather; however, this does not happen with UHMWPE, thereby **reducing unloading time. After lining the dump funnel of the bulk carrier with a layer of UHMWPE sheet, the average unloading time was reduced from 16–20 hours to 8 hours. 2.2 Agricultural and construction machinery UHMWPE boasts excellent self-lubricating properties; mud can slide easily over its surface without sticking. Additionally, it has good impact resistance and wear resistance, making it suitable for use in manufacturing components for agricultural and construction machinery. Items such as the sliding plates of harvesters, the outer lining plates of plows, the scrapers of soil removal machines, the inner linings of excavator buckets, and the interiors of dump truck compartments can significantly improve work efficiency and reduce energy consumption. 2.3 Stationery items Taking advantage of UHMWPE’s self-lubricating properties, wear resistance, and cold resistance, it can be used in the bottoms of skates and snowboards; in Europe and the United States, UHMWPE is primarily used for this purpose ； By covering the ski slope with UHMWPE (with a layer thickness of 20 mm), the maximum speed of the skates can reach 110 km/h. The UHMWPE skating rink manufactured by Japan’s Mitsui Petrochemical Company was opened to the public in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1975, and its construction cost was 1/4 that of a regular skating rink. 3. Applications emphasizing corrosion resistance and water resistance UHMWPE possesses excellent chemical stability and water resistance, making it suitable as a lining material for various solution storage devices as well as for large-scale packaging containers such as floats, water collection tanks, gasoline tanks, pesticide containers, and water drainage containers used in solar energy systems. This is also one of the fields where UHMWPE is currently most widely used. UHMWPE containers possess excellent impact strength under drop testing. If the container is filled with 20 kg of water and dropped from a great height onto an iron plate 10 mm thick, the breaking height for a conventional polyethylene container is only 9 M, whereas that for a UHMWPE container can exceed 15 M. 4. Applications emphasizing hygiene and non-toxicity 4.1. Food and beverage industry UHMWPE possesses the non-toxicity, water resistance, and non-stick properties required by the food industry. Designated as a material that can be used in direct contact with food. It can be used in conveyor systems for beer, soft drinks, seasonings, etc. When transporting items, it prevents bottles and similar objects from breaking, reduces noise, minimizes wear on conveyor belts and screws, and lowers power consumption. It can also be used to manufacture components for equipment used in the production of meat, milk, as well as candies, preserves, and bread products. 4.2 Medical Applications UHMWPE possesses excellent physiological inertness and adaptability. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture, it can be used in medical applications where it comes into contact with the human body. It is used in clinical settings such as for heart valves, orthopedic components, artificial joints, and contraceptive implants, making it an ideal polymer material for medical use. Artificial hips composed of a glenoid made of UHMWPE and a metal femur exhibit superior wear resistance and safety compared to PTFE. To date, hundreds of thousands of people around the world have undergone replacement with such artificial joints. 5. Applications of other properties 5.1. Applications in low-temperature resistance UHMWPE possesses excellent low-temperature resistance, making it suitable for use in various freezing machines. It can also serve as components resistant to low temperatures in the nuclear industry, and is an ideal insulating material in the field of low-temperature superconductivity. UHMWPE provides excellent radiation shielding, making it suitable for use as shielding panels in nuclear power plants. 5.2 Applications in Electrical Insulation UHMWPE possesses excellent electrical insulating properties, particularly a low dielectric loss tangent value; it can be used to manufacture plating tanks, rollers, as well as insulators and insulating brackets that operate in the high-frequency and ultra-high-frequency ranges. It is also suitable for use in cable conduits, circuit breakers, cable terminals, and other electrical devices. IV. Limitations Compared to other engineering plastics, UHMWPE has lower heat resistance, stiffness, and hardness, but these properties can be improved through methods such as \"filling\" and \"cross-linking\" ； In terms of heat resistance, the melting point of UHMWPE (136°C) is roughly the same as that of ordinary polyethylene; however, due to its high molecular weight and high melt viscosity, it is difficult to process.
This post was last edited by QXZ-1966 on 2009-5-11 at 18:28. I work in the processing and manufacturing of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and I have some knowledge regarding the performance and parameters of such products. I hope we can exchange more ideas in the future to improve together. The quality standards of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene produced by my company are at the advanced level of the international industry; the product models and their corresponding specifications are listed in the table below:
Model Molecular Weight (10,000 units) Bulk Density Impact Strength KJ/M2
FK-250 200-300 0.45 120
FK-350 300-400 0.45 75
FK-450 400-500 0.48 70
FK-550 500-600 0.48 70
Model Molecular Weight (10,000 units) Bulk Density Impact Strength KJ/M2
FK-250 200-300 0.45 120
FK-350 300-400 0.45 75
FK-450 400-500 0.48 70
FK-550 500-600 0.48 70
It can be used to create wear-resistant pipes, serving as linings for transporting solid slurries. Another important area is the production of separators for lead-acid batteries. The demand for this is quite high; currently, the consumption of UHMWPE for separators in lead-acid batteries in China is around 2,000 tons.