UHMWPE shines brightly in various fields

October 20, 2023

UHMWPE, along with carbon fiber and aramid fiber, is known as the world's three high-tech fibers.

UHMWPE fiber

1.In terms of national defense and military equipment: Due to its good impact resistance and high specific energy absorption, this fiber can be made into protective clothing, helmets, and bulletproof materials in military applications, such as armor protection plates for helicopters, tanks, and ships, radars protective covers, missile covers, bulletproof vests, stab proof vests, shields, parachutes, etc. Among them, the application of bulletproof vests is the most eye-catching.It has the advantages of softness and better bulletproof performance than aramid, and has become the main fiber occupying the US bulletproof vest market. In addition, the specific impact load value U/p of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber composite material is 10 times that of steel, and more than twice that of glass fiber and aramid fiber. Bulletproof and riot helmets made of resin composite materials reinforced with this fiber have become substitutes for steel helmets and aramid reinforced composite helmets abroad.

2.Aerospace engineering: Due to its lightweight, high strength, and good impact resistance, this fiber composite material is suitable for various aircraft wing tip structures, spacecraft structures, and buoys aircraft. This fiber can also be used as a deceleration parachute for space shuttle landing and a rope for hanging heavy objects on airplanes, replacing traditional steel and synthetic fiber ropes, and its development speed is exceptionally fast.

3.Civil field: Ropes, cables, sails, and fishing gear made of this fiber are suitable for marine engineering, and their breaking length under self weight is 8 times that of steel ropes and 2 times that of aramid fibers. This rope is used as a fixed anchor rope for super oil tankers, offshore operating platforms, lighthouses, etc. It solves the problems of corrosion, hydrolysis, UV degradation, etc. that have been encountered in the past when using steel cables and nylon and polyester cables, resulting in reduced cable strength and fracture, and requiring frequent replacement.

Ship ropes are crucial to ship safety and must possess high strength, corrosion resistance, and aging resistance. Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber is the best material for manufacturing ship ropes, with much higher strength than steel cables and significantly reduced weight. The picture shows the 100000 ton FPSO offshore floating storage vessel - Offshore Oil 116 in Wenchang Oilfield, Hainan.

4.Industrial applications: This fiber and its composite materials can be used as pressure vessels, conveyor belts, filtering materials, automotive buffer plates, etc; In terms of architecture, it can be used as a wall, partition structure, etc. Using it as a reinforced cement composite material can improve the toughness of cement and enhance its impact resistance. Due to its excellent wear resistance and impact resistance, UHMWPE is widely used in the mechanical manufacturing industry. It can produce various mechanical components such as gears, cams, impellers, rollers, pulleys, bearings, bearing shells, bushings, shafts, gaskets, sealing pads, elastic couplings, screws, etc.

5.Sports equipment: Safety helmets, snowboards, sail boards, fishing rods, rackets, bicycles, gliders, ultra light aircraft components, etc. have been made in sports equipment, and their performance is superior to traditional materials. The UHMWPE skating rink manufactured by Mitsui Petrochemical Company in Japan was opened to the public in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1975, with a cost of 1/4 that of a typical skating rink.

6.In terms of medicine, this fiber reinforced composite material is used in fields such as dental support materials, medical grafts, and plastic sutures. It has good biocompatibility and durability, high stability, and does not cause allergies. It has been clinically applied. It is also used in medical gloves and other medical measures.

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