Structure and mechanical properties of UHMWPE/EPT blends and their vulcanizates

In order to improve the mechanical properties of EPT rubber with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), a new method of two-step mixing has been developed. First, the blend films of UHMWPE and EPT were prepared by casting the mixture of both polymer solutions. Second, the thermal and mechanical mixing of the EPT rubber with the blend film was carried out on a roll mill so that the rubber should contain 10 phr (parts per hundred resin) of UHMWPE. Then, it was vulcanized. Some structure and properties of these blend films and the vulcanized rubber have been studied. The blend films did not give spherulitic morphology, but gave a lot of small crystallites of UHMWPE. The partial miscible phase was suggested to be formed in the blend film. This phase seemed to play an important role in the second step of mixing, in which UHMWPE fibres were formed to result in the reinforcement of the EPT rubber.