Investigation of the ultradrawing properties of gel spun fibers of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene/carbon nanotube blends

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The carbon nanotubes (CNTs) contents, ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) concentrations and temperatures of UHMWPE, and CNTs added gel solutions exhibited significant influence on their rheological and spinning properties and the drawability of the corresponding UHMWPE/CNTs as-prepared fibers. Tremendously high shear viscosities (gs) of UHMWPE gel solutions were found as the temperatures reached 1408C, at which their gs values approached the maximum. After adding CNTs, the gs values of UHMWPE/CNTs gel solutions increase significantly and reach a maximum value as the CNTs contents increase up to a specific value. At each spinning temperature, the achievable draw ratios obtained for UHMWPE as-prepared fibers prepared near the optimum concentration are significantly higher than those of UHMWPE as-prepared fibers prepared at other concentrations. After addition of CNTs, the achievable draw ratios of UHMWPE/CNTs as-prepared fibers prepared near the optimum concentration improve consistently and reach a maximum value as their CNTs contents increase up to an optimum value. To understand these interesting drawing properties of the UHMWPE and UHMWPE/CNTs as-prepared fibers, the birefringence, thermal, morphological, and tensile properties of the as-prepared and drawn fibers were investigated. Possible mechanisms accounting for these interesting properties are proposed.

Ultradrawing properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene/hydrochloric acid treated attapulgite fibers

“…Presumably, incorporation of uniformly dispersed and aligned CNTs in polymer matrix can provide polymer composites with dramatically improved strength and modulus in their machine direction. These expectations have recently been confirmed by a number of studies [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Our recent investigation [32][33][34] found that the achievable draw ratios (D ra ) of UHMWPE/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) asprepared fibers prepared near the optimal UHMWPE concentration improve consistently and reach a maximal value as their CNT and/or functionalized CNT contents increase up to an optimal value, respectively.…”

“…These expectations have recently been confirmed by a number of studies [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Our recent investigation [32][33][34] found that the achievable draw ratios (D ra ) of UHMWPE/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) asprepared fibers prepared near the optimal UHMWPE concentration improve consistently and reach a maximal value as their CNT and/or functionalized CNT contents increase up to an optimal value, respectively. As evidenced by DSC thermal analysis, CNTs with extremely high specific surface areas can serve as efficient nucleation sites and facilitate the crystallization of UHMWPE molecules into crystals but with low melting temperatures and/or evaluated smaller crystal thickness during their crystallization processes.…”

“…The maximal achievable draw ratios of FA mx as-prepared series fiber specimens and the tensile strengths of the drawn FA mx fiber specimens are significantly higher than those of the corresponding FA x drawn fiber specimens prepared at the same draw ratios and ATPs contents but without purification by sodium hexametaphosphate. The ultimate tensile strength values of the UHMWPE/purified ATPs drawn fibers prepared at the optimal ATP content using one-stage drawing process at 95°C can reach around 3.9 GN m −2 , which is even higher than most of those UHMWPE/functionalized CNTs drawn fibers prepared at the same drawing condition in our previous study [32][33][34]41]. These results clearly suggest that nanofillers with extremely high specific surface areas can act as efficient nucleation sites and significantly improve the achievable draw ratios and ultimate tenacity properties of nanofillers added UHMWPE fibers.…”

Ultradrawing properties of ultrahigh‐molecular weight polyethylene/functionalized carbon nanotube fibers and transmittance properties of their gel solutions

“…Researchers have recently investigated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/CNTs [4–9] and ultrahigh‐molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/CNTs [10–14] composite fibers, because the stresses applied during gel spinning can align the nanotubes along the fiber longitudes. Similar improvements in tensile and bending properties appeared in CNTs‐containing PVA [4–9] or UHMWPE composite fiber specimens [10–13].…”

Effect of multi-walled carbon nanotube on the electrical, morphological and mechanical properties of polypropylene/nickel-coated carbon fiber composites

“…The MWCNT and polymer composites which have been reported have contained polycarbonate (PC), 5-8 polyethylene (PE), 9,10 polypropylene (PP), 10-12 polyamide-6, 13 polystyrene, [14][15][16][17] poly(ethylene terephthalate), [18][19][20] poly(butylene terephthalate), 21 poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), [22][23][24][25][26] epoxy, [27][28][29][30] polyurethane, [31][32][33][34] poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS), 35 poly(vinyl alcohol), 36 polyimide, 37 and polysulfone. 38 Du et al 22 and Han et al 35 have studied the electrical conductivity, rheological and thermal properties of the PMMA-MWCNT and PPS-MWCNT composites, respectively.…”