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Results for “POLYETHYLENE”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1971

Retraction of cold drawn polyethylene: the influence of lamellar thickeness and density

The role of crystal morphology in the retraction of oriented, linear polyethylene was studied utilizing samples crystallized under conditions controlled to vary, separately, lamellar crystal thickness and density. Samples were oriented in a simple shear deformation to a strain of 4.0 prior to measuring retraction tendency in creep and relaxation type tests. Characterizations of specimens were made using wide and small angle X-ray techniques. The specific morphological variations were chosen to test the hypothesis that a long range elastic restoring force can originate in conjunction with deformation of lamellar crystals and the consequent increase in lamellar crystal surface area and surface free energy. The results support this hypothesis.

Falender, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Irradiation of linear polyethylene - Partitioning between sol and gel.

Molecular weight fractions of linear polyethylene were irradiated at 133 C, in the completely molten and highly crystalline states, for the purpose of assessing the importance of chain-scission processes and establishing the critical conditions for gelation. The partitioning between sol and gel in either state was found to adhere to the theory for the intermolecular cross-linking of monodisperse species for dosages just beyond the gel point. Deviations from theory occurred as the dosage was increased further. It was concluded that main-chain scission, at these temperatures, is not a significant process. High molecular weight samples in the completely molten state obeyed the Flory-Stockmayer condition for critical gelation.

Rijke, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Retraction of cold-drawn polyethylene - Influence of lamellar thickness and density.

The role of crystal morphology in the retraction of oriented linear polyethylene was studied utilizing samples crystallized under conditions controlled to vary, separately, lamellar crystal thickness and density. Samples were oriented in a simple shear deformation to a strain of 4.0 prior to measuring retraction tendency in creep- and relaxation-type tests. Characterizations of specimens were made using wide- and small-angle x-ray techniques. The specific morphological variations were chosen to test the hypothesis that a long-range elastic restoring force can originate in conjunction with deformation of lamellar crystals and the consequent increase in lamellar crystal surface area and surface free energy. The results support this hypothesis.

Falender, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Friction and wear of polyethylene oxide polymer having a range of molecular weights

Sliding friction and wear experiments were conducted at light loads (25 to 250 g) with various molecular weights of the polyethylene oxide polymer sliding on itself and iron. Results of the experimental investigation indicate that: (1) the coefficient of friction for the polymer decreases with increasing molecular weight; (2) friction coefficient is higher for the polymer sliding on itself than it is for the polymer sliding on iron; (3) at sufficiently high loads localized surface melting occurs and the friction coefficient is the same for the polymer sliding on itself and iron; (4) fracture cracks develop in the sliding wear track at higher but not lower sliding velocities, reflecting a strain rate sensitivity to crack initiation, and (5) the friction coefficient for the polymer sliding on iron increases with the formation of a polymer film on the iron surface.

Buckley, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Strain-rate/temperature behavior of high density polyethylene in compression

The compressive strain rate/temperature behavior of highly linear, high density polyethylene was analyzed in terms of the predictive relations developed for metals and other crystalline materials. For strains of 5 percent and above, the relationship between applied strain rate, dotted epsilon, and resulting flow stress, sigma, was found to be: dotted epsilon exp times (Q sub f/RT) = k'(sigma/sigma sub c) to the nth power; the left-hand side is the activation-energy-compensated strain rate, where Q sub f is activation energy for flow, R is gas constant, and T is temperature; k is a constant, n is temperature-independent stress exponent, and sigma/sigma sub c is structure-compensated stress. A master curve resulted from a logarithmic plot of activation-energy-compensated strain rate versus structure-compensated stress.

Clements, L. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Effect of sterilization irradiation on friction and wear of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene

The effect of sterilization gamma irradiation on the friction and wear properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) sliding against 316L stainless steel in dry air at 23 C was determined. A pin-on-disk apparatus was used. Experimental conditions included a 1-kilogram load, a 0.061- to 0.27-meter-per-second sliding velocity, and a 32000- to 578000-meter sliding distance. Although sterilization doses of 2.5 and 5.0 megarads greatly altered the average molecular weight and the molecular weight distribution, the friction and wear properties of the polymer were not significantly changed.

Jones, W. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Effect of pyrolysis temperature on toxicity of gases from a polyethylene polymer

A polyethylene polymer was evaluated for time of toxic effect to occur as the result of exposure to gases generated by pyrolysis at various temperatures, using the toxicity screening test method developed at the University of San Francisco. Times to various animal responses decreased with increasing pyrolysis temperature over the range from 400 C to 800 C. Responses at a pyrolysis temperature of 350 C were more rapid than would be expected from the other data, and may indicate the predominance of different pyrolysis reactions in this particular temperature region.

Hilado, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Development of optimum process for electron beam cross-linking of high density polyethylene thermal energy storage pellets, process scale-up and production of application qualities of material

The electron irradiation conditions required to prepare thermally from stable high density polyethylene (HDPE) were defined. The conditions were defined by evaluating the heat of fusion and the melting temperature of several HDPE specimens. The performance tests conducted on the specimens, including the thermal cycling tests in the thermal energy storage unit are described. The electron beam irradiation tests performed on the specimens, in which the total radiation dose received by the pellets, the electron beam current, the accelerating potential, and the atmospheres were varied, are discussed.

Salyer, I. O.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Nonlinear viscoelastic characterization of thin polyethylene film

In order to understand the state of stress and strain in a typical balloon fabricated from thin polyethylene film, experiment data in the literature reviewed. It was determined that the film behaves as a nonlinear viscoelasticity material and should be characterized accordingly. A simple uniaxial, nonlinear viscoelastic model was developed for predicting stress given a certain strain history. The simple model showed good qualitative agreement with results of constant rate, uniaxial accurately predicting stresses for cyclic strain histories typical of balloon flights. A program was outlined which will result in the development of a more complex nonlinear viscoelastic model.

Wilbeck, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Effect of gamma irradiation on the friction and wear of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

The effect of sterilization gamma irradiation on the friction and wear properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) sliding against stainless steel 316L in dry air at 23 C is investigated, the results to be used in the development of artificial joints which are to surgically replace diseased human joints. A pin-on-disk sliding friction apparatus is used, a constant sliding speed in the range 0.061-0.27 m/s is maintained, a normal load of 1 kgf is applied with dead weight, and the irradiation dose levels are: 0, 2.5, and 5.0 Mrad. Wear and friction data and conditions for each of the ten tests are summarized, and include: (1) wear volume as a function of the sliding distance for the irradiation levels, (2) incremental wear rate, and (3) coefficient of friction as a function of the sliding distance. It is shown that (1) the friction and wear properties of UHMWPE are not significantly changed by the irradiation doses of 2.5 and 5.0 Mrad, (2) the irradiation increases the amount of insoluble gel as well as the amount of low molecular weight material, and (3) after run-in the wear rate is either steady or gradually decreases as a function of the sliding distance.

Jones, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Effect of sliding speed and contact stress on tribological properties of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene

A pin on disk apparatus was used to investigate the effect of sliding speed on the friction, wear, and transfer film characteristics of hemispherically tipped AISI 440C high temperature (HT) stainless steel riders sliding against ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) disks. The surface morphology of the wear track was studied to determine possible wear mechanisms. Geometry effects were determined by comparing the results to those of others who used different specimen configurations. The results indicate that sliding speed, sliding distance, contact stress, and specimen geometry can all markedly influence the tribological properties of UHMWPE.

Fusaro, R. L.↗