UHMWPE Fabric

Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fabric (UHMWPE Fabric for short) is a high-performance fabric made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE fiber). It is widely used in bulletproof, cut-proof, marine engineering, aerospace, sports equipment and other fields due to its excellent strength, light weight, wear resistance and chemical corrosion resistance.

Products made of 200D, 400D, 600D, 800D, 1000D, 1500D, 3000D, etc. as raw materials, in plain or twill weave.

Overview of UHMWPE Materials

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a thermoplastic polyethylene material with a molecular weight of more than 1.5 million. Due to its extremely high molecular weight, it exhibits excellent physical and mechanical properties, including:

• Extremely high tensile strength:more than 15 times stronger than steel wire of the same mass, and more than 40% higher than aramid (such as Kevlar).
• Low density:The density is only 0.93–0.97 g/cm³, which is lighter than water and can float in water.
• Excellent wear resistance: UHMWPE has extremely high wear resistance and performs well in many industrial applications.
• Excellent chemical resistance:It has good resistance to most acids, alkalis, solvents, seawater and ultraviolet rays.
• Low friction coefficient:The extremely low friction coefficient makes it suitable for low-resistance sports systems.
• Good impact resistance:It can absorb a lot of energy, so it performs well in the field of protection.

Characteristics of UHMWPE cloth

• High strength and light weight

UHMWPE fiber is one of the strongest synthetic fibers known in the world. Its tensile strength far exceeds that of steel wire and its density is extremely low, making UHMWPE cloth an ultra-lightweight high-strength material.

• Excellent wear resistance

UHMWPE fabric is more wear-resistant than ordinary nylon, polyester and aramid fabrics, and can maintain good durability even in extreme environments.

• Bulletproof and cut-proof

Due to its extremely high tensile strength and impact resistance, UHMWPE fabric can be used to manufacture bulletproof vests, cut-proof gloves, stab-proof clothing, explosion-proof blankets and other safety protection equipment.

• Chemical corrosion resistance

UHMWPE fiber is almost immune to acid, alkali and salt solutions, making it widely used in marine engineering, chemical pipelines and other fields.

• Low hygroscopicity

UHMWPE fabric has extremely low hygroscopicity, and its performance will not be affected even in humid environments.

• UV and aging resistance

UHMWPE fiber itself has a certain tolerance to ultraviolet rays, but long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays may affect its service life. Therefore, additional protective treatment is usually performed when used outdoors.

Application areas of UHMWPE fabric

Safety protection

• Bulletproof vests, stab-proof vests, explosion-proof blankets: UHMWPE fabric can effectively resist high-speed impacts such as bullets and knives, and is widely used in the fields of military and police and personal safety protection.
• Cut-resistant gloves:The high strength and cut-resistance of UHMWPE fiber make it an ideal material for making high-grade cut-resistant gloves.
• Safety ropes and nets:Due to its high strength and light weight, UHMWPE fiber is used to produce climbing ropes, safety nets, etc.

Shipbuilding and marine engineering

• Ship cables:Cables made of UHMWPE fabric are lighter than traditional steel cables and have extremely high strength and corrosion resistance. They are widely used in marine ships and drilling platforms.
• Fishing nets and trawls:UHMWPE fishing nets are wear-resistant, lightweight and corrosion-resistant, which improves the durability of fishing equipment.

Aerospace

UHMWPE fiber is used to manufacture spacecraft shells, parachute ropes and impact-resistant structural parts due to its high strength, impact resistance and light weight.

Sports equipment

• Rock climbing equipment:UHMWPE fiber is used to manufacture climbing backpacks, climbing ropes, safety belts and other equipment.
• High-performance bicycle accessories:Used for lightweight bicycle tires, puncture-proof tires, frame structure reinforcement materials, etc.
• Ski equipment: such as high-strength skis, surfboards, etc.

Medical devices

UHMWPE is also used to manufacture medical products such as artificial joints and orthopedic implants. Due to its low friction and excellent biocompatibility, it is widely used for human implants.

Composite material reinforcement

UHMWPE fibers can be combined with composite materials such as epoxy resin and polyester resin to improve the strength and impact resistance of the material and are used in high-end industrial manufacturing.

Manufacturing process of UHMWPE cloth

• Preparation of UHMWPE fibers

UHMWPE fibers are mainly manufactured by gel spinning technology. First, UHMWPE particles are dissolved in a solvent, and then high-strength fibers are manufactured by gel spinning, stretching, heat treatment and other processes.

• Weaving process

UHMWPE fibers can be woven into cloth in the following ways:

• Unidirectional cloth (UD cloth): The fibers are arranged in a single direction, which is suitable for bulletproof materials such as bulletproof vests and helmets.
• Plain, twill and satin weaves: suitable for industrial reinforcement, protective clothing and high-performance composites.
• Multiaxial fabrics: UHMWPE fibers are interwoven at 0°, 90°, ±45°, suitable for high impact protection and structural reinforcement.

Resin impregnation

In some applications (such as composite reinforcement), UHMWPE fabrics are impregnated with resin to enhance their mechanical properties and stability.

Comparison of UHMWPE cloth with other high-performance fibers