RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SURFACE-PROPERTIES AND ADHESION FOR ETCHED ULTRA-HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT POLYETHYLENE FIBERS

Chemical etching is an established and popular method of increasing the adhesion to such materials as polyethylene. Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers are exceptional candidates for composite materials except for their poor adhesion. In this research, the bulk, surface and adhesive properties of as-received and chromic acid etched UHMWPE fibers have been examined. The fiber tensile properties, surface chemistry and wettability have been characterized. The adhesion of epoxy has been characterized by the interfacial shear strength of a droplet microbond. The more than six-fold increase in interfacial shear strength observed in this work is related to the etching process. The removal of an oxygen-rich weak boundary layer, surface roughening and oxidation of the UHMWPE contribute to the enhanced adhesion.