High-Strength and High-Toughness Melt-Spun Polyethylene Fibers Derived from Composite Structure Formation

High-strength and high-toughness polyethylene (PE) fibers are prepared by the melt-spinning and subsequent drawing in the semimolten state of high-density PE (HDPE) combined with ultrahigh-molecular-weight PE (UHMW-PE). As-spun fibers are prepared by the melt-spinning of HDPE/UHMW-PE blended powder with 0-30 wt% UHMW-PE. The as-spun fiber is drawn at 100 (solid state) and 130 degrees C (semimolten state). Well-arranged stacked lamellae with highly oriented crystals are formed based on the difference in relaxation time for the drawn fiber with 30 wt% UHMW-PE prepared at 130 degrees C in the semimolten state. This composite structure results in a PE fiber with high tensile strength (1.11 GPa) and high toughness (297 MJ m(-3)).