Quasi-Static Characters For Uhmwpe Composites After Hygrothermal Aging

This paper studied the Moisture absorption behaviors, DMTA temperature spectrum, Infra-red spectrogram, Quasi-static characters of the dry and hygrothermal UHMWPE composites. The material was UHMWPE fiber reinforced polyurethane matrix composite manufactured by hot press method, which was firstly kept in a heating oven, and then put in a beaker of distilled 70 degrees C water bath for 24 days and 60 days. The results show that there were two plateaus for the moisture absorption curve of the UHMWPE composites. The coupled effects of moisture and temperature reduce the composite glass transition temperature(Tg) by matrix plasticization and degrades the fiber/matrix interface. The storage modulus and loss modulus of dry and 24 days hygrothermal were gradually decreased in the initiatory calefaction, which drop sharply in Tg. The tensile strength was lossing in the beginning, and comeback to the initial at last in the hygrothermal environment. The quasi-static compressive strength is reduced by about 8% after 24 days treatment. Hygrothermal treatment has no effects on the quasi-static characters.