Materials

WHAT IS UHMW-PE? (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene)

UHMW Polymer is a Linear Polyethylene with a molecular weight in the range of 3,000,000 to 6,000,000. This value represents the “average molecular weight”. Therefore, UHMW Polymers have a molecular weight average 10 times that of conventional high density polyethylene resins. The higher molecular weight is what gives UHMW Polymers a unique combination of characteristics making it more suitable for many applications where lower molecular weight grades fail.

UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) coatings, sheet, tape, and wear strips

The incredible durability and versatility of UHMW-PE makes it a favorite among engineers and designers in nearly every industry worldwide. UHMW-PE’s long molecular chain gives it a host of exceptional attributes: high abrasion resistance, low coefficient of friction and unparalleled impact resistance, even in cryogenic environments.

UHMW-PE’s molecular weight ranges from a low of 3.1 million to as high as 10 million. While impact strength is maximized at 3.5 – 4 million, abrasion resistance continues to improve as the molecular weight increases. UHMW-PE is the ideal solution for reducing wear and friction and enhancing efficiency and productivity in automotive and railroad applications, in agriculture, medical, printing and packaging applications, and in material handling and food processing.

UHMW-PE has no melt-flow point, so Crown Plastics utilizes the world’s only true continuous compression molding process to heat, compress and cool the UHMW directly to thickness in a continuous flow. This allows for long continuous rolls with low stress and tight tolerance.

Crown Plastics has also mastered the art of surface treatment of UHMW thereby transforming UHMW into a material or coating that is highly bondable. UHMW can be supplied from Crown Plastics with a pressure sensitive adhesive system (peel and stick) or one side abraded for use with contact cements or epoxies. These options eliminate the need for mechanical fastening and open up unlimited application opportunities for UHMW.