Preparation, morphology, and adhesive and mechanical properties of ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene/SiO2 nanocomposite fibers

A simple treatment approach has been performed to achieve enhanced surface properties of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers by incorporation of nano-silicon dioxide (SiO2) in the presence of silane coupling agent during gel-spinning process. The SiO2-treated UHMWPE (UHMWPE/SiO2) nanocomposite fibers with different nano-SiO2 compositions were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectra, scanning electron microscopy, and wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and their interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties were also investigated. The nano-SiO2 can be trapped on the surface of the fibers to form rough surface for UHMWPE/SiO2 fibers, and diffused into the inner of fibers to induce the lower crystal sizes and higher crystallinity of polyethylene in UHMWPE/SiO2 fibers. The resulting UHMWPE/SiO2 fibers therefore exhibit a dramatic enhancement in the adhesive properties because of the combination of rougher surface compared with those of UHMWPE fiber and polar groups absorbed on the surface of fibers. The mechanical properties of UHMWPE/SiO2 nanocomposite fibers are enhanced simultaneously because of the influence of nano-SiO2 on the structure of UHMWPE crystalline regions and fibrils. POLYM. COMPOS., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers