Ultradrawing Properties of Ultrahigh-Molecular Weight Polyethylene/Functionalized Carbon Nanotube Fibers and Transmittance Properties of Their Gel Solutions

The influences of the dispersion level of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and functionalized CNTs on the transmittance properties of ultrahigh-molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) gel solutions and on ultradrawing properties of their as-prepared fibers are reported. The transmittance properties suggest that the dispersion level of functionalized CNTs in UHMWPE/functionalized CNTs gel solution is significantly better than plain CNTs in UHMWPE/CNTs gel solutions. The orientation factors, achievable draw ratios, tensile strength (sigma(f)), and modulus (E) values of UHMWPE/CNTs (F(x)C(y)) and UHMWPE/functionalized CNTs (F(x)C(f-y)) as-prepared fiber specimens reached a maximum value as their CNT and functionalized CNT contents approached optimum contents at 0.00015 and 0.0001 wt%, respectively. The sigma(f) and E values of both F(x)C(0.0012) and F(x)C(f-0.001) series fiber specimens prepared at their optimum CNT and functionalized CNT contents reached another maximum as their UHMWPE approached optimum UHMWPE concentration of 1.7 wt%. Possible reasons accounting for these interesting properties are proposed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 51:2552-2563, 2011. (C) 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers