Polyolefin UHMW  (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene)

UHMW was first used in loom pickers to replace buffalo hide, an application where high velocity impact prohibited the use of other plastics. Regardless of application, Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene certainly lives up to its name; plastics of this type must have a molecular weight in excess of 3,000,000. It is this unusually high molecular weight that gives UHMW its many desirable properties.

UHMW is unusually resistant to scrapes and abrasion, making it a common choice for applications where wear-resistance is a must, such as chutes, feeders, bushings and bearings, and bulk material handling systems.

UHMW also has a very low coefficient of friction - lower than glass. The dynamic coefficient of friction on polished steel is lower than Nylon 6/6 but slightly higher than Teflon.

UHMW Features

• low moisture absorption
• good thermal and electrical insulation
• FDA and USDA acceptance
• ease of machining
• chemical inertness (except in some acids)
• good blunt impact energy absorption

Applications

• wear strips
• chain guides
• chute and hopper linings
• bushings and bearings
• sprockets and gears
• truck bed linings