Definition of Ultra – high Molecular Weight Polyethylene Board
The ultra – high molecular weight polyethylene board is a type of sheet made mainly from ultra – high molecular weight polyethylene through specific processing techniques.
Characteristics of the Raw Material
Ultra – high molecular weight polyethylene is a thermoplastic engineering plastic. Its molecular chain is polymerized from a large number of ethylene monomers. The molecular weight usually ranges from 1.5 million to 10 million or even higher. This high – molecular – weight structure endows the material with excellent comprehensive properties, such as extremely high wear resistance, self – lubrication, corrosion resistance, impact resistance, and good low – temperature performance.
Processing Technologies
Generally, processes like compression molding and extrusion molding are used to process ultra – high molecular weight polyethylene raw materials into sheets. Compression molding involves putting the raw materials into a mold and shaping them under certain temperature and pressure. These techniques enable the ultra – high molecular weight polyethylene molecules to be evenly distributed in the sheet, thus ensuring the consistency of the sheet’s performance.
Performance Features
The ultra – high molecular weight polyethylene sheet has outstanding wear resistance. Its wear – resistant performance is several times or even dozens of times that of ordinary carbon steel. It can be widely applied in occasions with severe wear, such as in the conveying equipment of industries like mining, coal, and metallurgy. Meanwhile, it has good self – lubrication, with a low friction coefficient. This can reduce the resistance of materials during transportation, lower energy consumption, and prevent materials from easily adhering. Additionally, this sheet has excellent chemical corrosion resistance and shows strong tolerance to acids, alkalis, salts, etc., making it suitable for use in anti – corrosion equipment in fields like chemical engineering and environmental protection.
Application Fields
Due to its unique properties, the ultra – high molecular weight polyethylene sheet has been widely used in multiple fields. In the machinery manufacturing field, it can be used to manufacture various mechanical parts, such as gears, bearings, sliders, etc., which can improve the service life and operating efficiency of equipment. In the construction industry, it can be used to make building sheets, waterproof materials, etc. In the food processing industry, because of its non – toxicity, odorlessness, and good hygienic properties, it can be used for linings of food – conveying equipment, grain hoppers, etc.