Abstract
The effect of chemical etching on the surface of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) fibres with emphasis on the adhesion of epoxy to the fibres was studied. The presence of an oxygen-rich weak boundary layer on the non-polar UHMW-PE fibre yields poor adhesion for the as-received fibre and for fibres etched with the weaker etchants. A significant improvement in adhesion resulted when the weak boundary layer was removed and the UHMW-PE oxidized through etching with chromic acid, a stronger etchant. This significant improvement in adhesion was reflected not only in a higher interfacial shear strength but also in the presence of epoxy cohesive failure. The debonding of droplet microbonds was found to be a suitable technique for the characterization of adhesion in the UHMW-PE/epoxy system.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S. Borman, Chem. Eng. News 9 October (1989) 23.
P. J. Barham and A. Keller, J. Mater. Sci. 20 (1985) 2281.
M. S. Silverstein and O. Breuer, ibid., in press.
B. Tissington, G. Pollard and I. M. Ward, ibid. 26 (1991) 82.
D. Briggs, D. M. Brewis and M. B. Konieczo, ibid. 11 (1976) 1270.
R. H. Olley, A. M. Hodge and D. C. Basset, J. Polym. Sci. Polym. Phys. Ed. 17 (1979) 627.
M. S. Silverstein, O. Breuer, and H. Dodiuk, in preparation.
A. Marmur, W. Chen, and G. Zografi, J. Coll. Interface Sci. 113 (1986) 114.
M. S. Silverstein and O. Breuer, Polymer, in press.
L. E. Nielsen, in “Mechanical Properties of Polymers and Composites”, Vol. 2 (Marcel Dekker, New York, 1974) p. 471.
B. Miller, P. Muri and L. Rebenfeld, Compos. Sci. Technol. 28 (1987) 17.
A. J. Kinloch, “Adhesion and Adhesives” (Chapman and Hall, New York, 1987) p. 23.
B. Tissington, G. Pollard and I. M. Ward, J. Mater. Sci. 26 (1991) 82.
M. R. Piggott, Compos. Sci. Technol. 30 (1987) 295.
P. Lawrence, J. Mater. Sci. 7 (1972) 1.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Silverstein, M.S., Breuer, O. Adhesive properties and failure of etched UHMW-PE fibres. Journal of Materials Science 28, 4718–4724 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00414263
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00414263