| abstract |
A method of producing high modulus and high strength products of polyethylene and other thermoplastic polymers by swelling with a suitable solvent a melt crystallized, or compacted powder morphology to form a pseudo-gel, drying the pseudo-gel, compressing it, and drawing it. The optimum process involves swelling the initial morphology in the form of a tape/ribbon/rod/monofilament/sheet/tube in a non-volatile solvent at temperatures near the polymer crystalline melting point, cooling the morphology under controlled conditions, lightly compressing it to remove the non-volatile solvent, extracting the non-volatile solvent by volatile solvent, removing the volatile solvent by evaporation or vacuum, compressing the morphology between rolls, and then stretching it at temperatures below the crystalline melting point of the polymer to obtain tapes, ribbons, monofilaments, sheets or tubes with improved mechanical properties. Products from the method include improved dental floss, fishing line and numerous other applications. |