Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMOS) Crosslinked High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMWPE)

The use of polyethylene in sliding systems for automotive industry requires adequate mechanical properties, such as high wear resistance, besides good processing properties in conventional extrusion processes. Aiming to fulfill these requirements, crosslinks were introduced in a high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE) grade through a process involving grafting of vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMOS) onto the polymer chain, promoted by dicumyl peroxide (DCP). The results obtained showed that the introduction of crosslinks improved the wear resistance of HMWPE. However, the HMWPE crosslinking led to a significant decrease in the Young’s Modulus, as a result of the reduction in crystallinity or the heterogeneous structure of the crosslinked samples. The tensile strength and the thermal properties were not affected.