Radiation-grafting of acrylic acid onto ultrahigh molecular, high-strength polyethylene fibers

✍ Scribed by Kanako Kaji; Yoshinori Abe; Masaki Murai; Noboru Nishioka; Kouichi Kosai

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 677 KB
• Volume: 47
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.1993.070470814

✦ Synopsis

Radiation-induced grafting of acrylic acid onto ultrahigh molecular weight ( UHMW ) highstrength polyethylene fibers to impart heat resistance and dyeability was undertaken. A preirradiation method was employed for grafting in an aqueous solution of acrylic acid containing a small amount of Mohr's salt as inhibitor. The grafting rate for UHMW highstrength polyethylene fibers is one-tenth of that for high-density polyethylene fibers currently in use, and one-hundredth, for high-density polyethylene film. It has become clear that the preirradiation dose should be as low as 1 Mrad to keep the high strength of the starting fibers. The starting UHMW high-strength polyethylene fiber begins to shrink remarkably at around 145"C, showing a maximum shrinkage of 90%, and then breaks at 154°C. When a 24% acrylic acid graft is converted to calcium salt, the grafted fiber retains the fiber form even at 300°C and gives only a maximum shrinkage of 11%. The less than 1% acrylic acid graft UHMW high-strength polyethylene fibers and their calcium salt can be dyed to a deep shade with cationic dyes, whereas the starting fibers cannot be dyed with usual dyes including the cationic dye.