To investigate the effect of low molecular weight species on the physical properties of ultra-drawn dried gel films, two different grades of PE with molecular weight of 800 and 300,000 were incorporated into UHMWPE. Dried cast films from 2wt% of polyethylene soultion were drawn by universal testing machine with controlled temperature chamber and their physical properties were observed tensile strength and Young''s modulus by Instron and crystalline melting behavior by DSC. The highest mechanical properties obtained are 2.3GPa in tesile strength at break and 110 GPa in Young''s modulus. which are 10 times and 85 times greater than those from melt drawn film respectively. The drawability of dried gel film can be improved by blending UHMWPE with proper amount of LMWPE which may play an important role in easier processability without sacrificing mechanical properties.
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