Chapter 4 Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fiber

摘要

While studies have been made on the production of high-strength high-modulus fibers by realizing an extended a chain crystalline structure with the use of a liquid crystal state in which a rigid chain polymer is formed, the use of a flexible chain polymer has also been studied. Polyethylene is made up of a flat zigzag structure of carbon-carbon cova-lent bonds of which the main chain has an extremely strong chemical bond. Because it has no bulky side chain and the molecular cross-sectional area is small, the ultimate strength and modulus calculated from the per unit cross-sectional area breaking strength of main chain coupling are the highest among flexible polymers.