Properties of compression molded ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene: effects of varying process conditions

Abstract Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been extensively used in various tribological systems because of its outstanding tribological properties and excellent overall performance. Compression molding is the main molding method for UHMWPE, and the process parameters of molding have a profound effect on its material properties. In this study, three groups of UHMWPE samples were prepared, and their physical, mechanical, and tribological properties under different molding process parameters were examined—with a particular focus on the frictional and wear behavior of the material under various heating-temperatures, pressing-temperatures and pressures—and the friction and wear mechanisms of UHMWPE were analysed. Studies have shown that the rise in heating-temperature promotes the diffusion of polymer chains, resulting in an increased friction coefficient and wear loss of UHMWPE. The main wear mechanism switches from plastic deformation to fatigue wear. With an increase in the pressuring-temperature, the friction coefficient first increases and then decreases, while the wear loss increases, and the dominant wear mechanism switches from fatigue wear and plastic flow to plastic flow. With an increase in pressure, the friction coefficient and wear loss first decrease and then increase, and the prime wear mechanism changes from plastic deformation and fatigue wear to fatigue wear.