Study on Cut-Resistance Properties of Composite Yarn Based Knitted UHMWPE Textiles: Influence of Reinforcement, Radiant Heat Exposure, Outdoor Environment, and Cutting Angles

The safety of workers in hazardous environments depends on personal protective clothing capable of withstanding various real-world challenges, especially in automotive, glass, aerospace, mining, construction, and food industries where cut hazards are prevalent. Ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene (UHMWPE) is widely utilized in cut-protective textiles for its exceptional strength and durability. This study investigates the cut-performance of stainless-steel and glass fibers reinforced UHMWPE knitted fabrics under real-world industrial conditions, focusing on the influence of varying cutting angles, outdoor environments, and thermal exposure on their cut-protective efficacy. Reinforcement significantly improved cut-performance, with stainless-steel reinforced UHMWPE fabric (13SU) exhibited the highest tear strength (lengthwise-313.1 N, widthwise-405.8 N) and abrasion resistance (withstanding up to 800 rubbing cycles), providing best cut-protection with cutting force of 32.43 N at 90 degrees cutting angle. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterizations revealed UHMWPE's sensitivity to thermal effects, with a significant decrease in crystallinity after exposure to radiant heat flux of 20 kW/m2 at fabric surface, leading to diminished cut-performance. Environmental durability assessments indicated a reduction in cut-resistance properties due to changes in the chemical composition of UHMWPE polymer structure, such as the presence of ketone (C=O) and hydroxy (O-H) polar groups, as confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.