THE EFFECT OF DRAWING TEMPERATURE ON MULTISTAGE DRAWN ULTRA-HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT POLYETHYLENE

The effect of drawing temperatures on multi-stage drawn ultra-high mol ecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber, produced by gel spinning, h as been studied. Drawing at higher temperatures generally gives higher crystal orientation, as expected. The activation energy of drawing in creased with the draw ratio and draw sequence. It varied at a given dr aw ratio and draw stage between two temperature ranges, 85 to 115 degr ees C and 115 to 135 degrees C. Thus, for the first draw stage, the ac tivation energy is similar to 19-33 KJ/mole in the range of 85 to 115 degrees C, and similar to 60-99 KJ/mole in the range of 115 to 135 deg rees C. In the second stage, the activation energy is 40 KJ/mole in th e range of 105 to 115 degrees C and 70-90 KJ/mole in the range of 115 to 135 degrees C. In the third stage, the activation energy is similar to 92-100 KJ/mole in the range of 115 to 135 degrees C.