Process for the preparation of a shaped part of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene
AssigneeStichting Dutch Polymer Institute
InventorsSanjay Rastogi, Robbert Duchateau, Gerardus Johannes Gruter, Dirk Lippitis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a shaped part of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) comprising melt processing, wherein a) the UHMWPE has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at least 1*106 g/mol, b) during the shaping the storage plateau modulus of the UHMWPE (G*) is kept at a value of at most 1.5 MPa, c) whereafter, before the cooling, the G* is raised to its final value. The invention further relates to a shaped part obtainable with the process and the use of the shaped part in a medical application.
Claims14
Process for the preparation of a shaped part of an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) by heating the UHMWPE to a temperature above the melting temperature, shaping the resulting melt, and cooling the melt to a temperature below the melting temperature, wherein
- a) the UHMWPE has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at least 1*106 g/mol,
- b) during the shaping the storage plateau modulus (G*) of the UHMWPE is kept at a value of at most 1.5 MPa,
- c) whereafter, before the cooling, the G* is raised to its final value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.