Ci. Yim et al., Wear resistance of some modified ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenesand its correlation with tensile properties, POLYM BULL, 42(4), 1999, pp. 433-440
Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was modified on purpose t
o enhance the wear resistance. The modification was done either by crosslin
king the amorphous region of the surface using difunctional monomers or by
crosslinking the bulk in the melt state using peroxide. The changes in ther
mal and tensile properties indicated that the modifications were effected.
The volumetric wear rate, determined on a pin-on-disk wear tester, was supp
ressed by the modifications. The correlation between the tensile properties
and the wear rates was sought. Any single tensile property or tensile rupt
ure energy did not correlate well with the observed wear rate. Instead, the
ratio of maximum contact stress calculated by the Hertz's contact theory t
o yield stress appeared to correlate well with volumetric wear rate.