Temperature Dependence of Phase Structure for Highly Drawn Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene Using Solid-State High-Resolution 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

摘要

Background: Highly drawn ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)is known as an ultrahigh strength material. There are few reports on the relation between thephase structure and molecular mobility depending on temperature.Objective: The purpose of this investigation is to elucidate the phase structure such as crystal,amorphous, and interphase and its temperature dependence for highly drawn UHMWPE. Inaddition, the phase structure of highly drawn UHMWPE was compared with non-stretchedUHMWPE and high density polyethylene.Methods: High resolution solid-state 13C NMR was used to quantify the phase fraction bytaking advantage of spin-lattice relaxation time (T1C).Results: The T1C for orthorhombic crystalline phase consists of three components for threepolyethylenes. Highly drawn UHMWPE provided the longest T1C of all. The amorphous andinterphase between crystalline and amorphous provided a single T1C’s. In addition, theresonance lines of monoclinic crystalline phase and lattice defect were also observed andthese components decreased in intensity with increment of temperature.Conclusion: The orthorhombic crystalline phase in lamellar had different molecular mobilitybetween the lamellar surface and core part. The molecular mobility of crystalline lamellarwas the lowest for highly drawn UHMWPE, leading to high mechanical strength. Withincreasing temperature, the crystalline lamellar transformed to the interphase and then to theamorphous phase. The monoclinic and lattice defect locate in the orthorhombic lamellarphase.