Sliding wear performance of HD-PE reinforced by continuous UHMWPE fibres

This paper deals with the wear and creep resistance of a new composite mate rial consisting of high density polyethylene (HD-PE) reinforced by continuo us ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres. Unidirectional PE/PE laminates with fibre contents between 0% and 50% by vo lume were produced via hot pressing of HD-PE powder impregnated UHMWPE fibr es. Flat specimens were tested in a ball-on-prism tribometer with polished steel balls. The penetration of the steel balls into the composite specimen was measured continuously. Creep deformation and material removal by wear were separated. The results were compared with the neat UHMWPE (good wear resistance but po or creep resistance and mechanical properties) and I-LD-PE (better creep re sistance but poor wear resistance). The composites were found to combine th e good wear resistance of UHMWPE with a superior creep resistance and mecha nical properties. Further work is needed to improve the homogeneity of the composites in order to reduce the scatter of the wear results. (C) 2000 Els evier Science S.A. All rights reserved.