Abstract
Tensile tests were performed using plate specimens of self-reinforced polyethylene (SRPE) with short ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. The effect of fiber length on the properties was investigated. The specimens were made by hot-pressing the stacked HDPE films with short UHMWPE fibers distributed between each film at high temperature. The SRPE specimens showed much larger elastic modulus and tensile strength than monolithic HDPE specimens while their fracture took place at smaller strain than the monolithic HDPE specimens. Focusing on the effect of UHMWPE fibers, the specimens reinforced with longer fibers of 120 μm showed larger elastic modulus and tensile strength than those reinforced with shorter fibers of 60 μm. It was considered that the difference was attributed to the shearing force between fibers and matrix or pull-out force of fibers during tension taking into consideration the feet that lots of pulled-out fibers were observed on the fracture surface.
