Toughening Modification of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fishing Fibers by Thermoplastic Elastomers

ABSTRACT Reinforced and toughened polyethylene fishing fibers have garnered increasing attention to meet the operational demands of modern fisheries. In this study, modified ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) granules, incorporating high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) particles and 15 wt% granule powder, were prepared to fabricate reinforced polyethylene fibers. Building on this, the effect of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) toughening modification on the structure and properties of UHMWPE fibers was investigated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the TPE phases were uniformly dispersed within the continuous UHMWPE matrix, forming a distinct morphology. The degree of orientation ( f 110 ) generally increased with rising TPE content, indicating that TPE promotes orientation. The interaction between TPE content and drawing ratio (DR) enhanced the knot strength of the blended fibers and reduced the strength loss ratio. This study discusses the effects of TPE content on the morphology, crystalline structure, thermal properties, and mechanical performance of the doped fibers. Based on these findings, a mechanism by which TPE modifies UHMWPE fibers is proposed. The main effects of TPE content and DR, as well as their interaction on tensile properties, have been analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA).