Ultra-strong polyethylene fibers produced by crystallization from flowing solutions

This thesis deals with the formation and the properties of ultra-strong polyethylene fibers prepared by the, surface-growth process. Ultra-strong fibers may be prepared by crystallization of high molecular weight polyethylene from a dilute solution, in which a seed crystal is used to initiate crystal growth. The purpose of the work described in this thesis was to gain an insight into the surface-growth process. Such an insight may lead to a better understanding of the fundamentals of fiber formation in general. Specifically, an important point was why the strength of surface-growth fibers is still considerably lower than the theoretical strength of polyethylene. ... Zie: Summary