Thermoplastic Polyethylene Research Articles

Decomposition and fragmentation of conventional and biobased plastic wastes in simulated and real aquatic systems

AbstractPlastics play a crucial role in our daily lives. The challenge, however, is that they become waste and contribute to a global environmental problem, increasing concerns about pollution and the urgent need to protect the environment. The accumulation and fragmentation of plastic waste, especially micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic systems, poses a significant threat to ecosystems and human health. In this study, the decomposition and fragmentation processes of conventional and biobased plastic waste in simulated water bodies (waters with different pH values) and in real water systems (tap water and seawater) are investigated over a period of one and six months. Three types of plastic were examined: thermoplastic polyethylene terephthalate and thermoset melamine etherified resin in the form of nonwovens and biobased polylactic acid (PLA) in the form of foils. Such a comprehensive study involving these three types of plastics and the methodology for tracking degradation in water bodies has not been conducted before, which underlines the novelty of the present work. After aging of the plastics, both the solid fraction and the leachate in the liquid phase were carefully examined. The parameters studied include mass loss, structural changes and alterations in functional groups observed in the aged plastics. Post-exposure assessment of the fragmented pieces includes quantification of the microplastic, microscopic observations and confirmation of composition by in situ Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The leachate analysis includes pH, conductivity, turbidity, total carbon and microplastic size distribution. The results highlight the importance of plastic waste morphology and the minor degradation of biobased PLA and show that microfibers contribute to increased fragmentation in all aquatic systems and leave a significant ecological footprint. This study underlines the crucial importance of post-consumer plastic waste management and provides valuable insights into strategies for environmental protection. It also addresses the pressing issue of plastic pollution and provides evidence-based measures to mitigate its environmental impact. Graphical abstract

CNT modified chopped ultra-thin CF/PET tapes reinforced PET thermoplastic composite laminates with elevated interfacial properties and ultra-low porosity

Carbon fiber (CF) reinforced thermoplastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) laminate composites with light weight, high strength, excellent damage tolerance, and recyclability have garnered increasing attention. However, the weak interface between inert CF and PET resin, as well as the difficulty of impregnating the considerably high melt viscosity of PET matrix into the CF bundles, have impeded further development of the CF/PET composites. To settle the challenge, the chopped ultra-thin CF tapes (thickness of 40 μm and length of 30 mm) reinforced PET composite laminates were prepared by mechanical spreading technology, following with random stacking and molding technology via the plasma treatment and PET/carbon nanotubes (CNT) sizing. As the results, the optimal interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), tensile strength, and Young's modulus of the chopped ultra-thin CF tapes reinforced PET composites (with 1.0 wt% CNT) achieved 42.4 MPa, 780.9 MPa, and 47.8 GPa, which increased by 41.9 %, 40.7 %, and 68.9 %, respectively, compared to unmodified CF/PET composites. Especially, the porosity of the composites reached 0.68 %, decreased by 84.3 %. Therefore, combining the easy infiltrability of chopped ultra-thin CF tapes technology and the multiscale interfacial reinforced strategy (plasma treatment and PET/CNT sizing) is an effective way to reduce the porosity and enhance the mechanical properties of the thermoplastic composites.

Waste Plastic Powder Coating on Acidic Aggregates: A New Hydrophobic Coating Technology to Build Moisture-Resistant Asphalt Mixtures

The surface energy of aggregate in asphalt pavements has a huge impact on its moisture susceptibility. The commercial antistripping agents widely used in asphalt may not be effective enough to enhance the moisture resistance if large quantities of acidic aggregates exist in pavements. This is also the reason why moisture damage is still an issue in many U.S. regions primarily supplied with “problematic” aggregates. In this regard, a promising solution is to use waste-plastic-coated aggregate, the surface of which is fundamentally modified and has a high affinity with asphalt because of the hydrophobic nature of plastic. However, it has not been widely promoted in the industry since there needs to be a practical and reliable method for uniform coating and avoiding the agglomeration of fine aggregate. To this end, an entirely new coating technology (thermoplastic polyethylene powder coating [TPPC]) was developed to coat aggregate using polyethylene (PE) powder. This technology utilizes a cheap but highly wettable fluidized bed to stably disperse the hydrophobic PE powder. Then, the dispersion liquid is sprayed onto the hot aggregate where the fluidized bed will evaporate fast while the PE particles stay, melt, and coat the aggregate surface. The microstructures of the coated aggregate were directly observed by scanning electron microscopy. Surface energy-based thermodynamic parameters were used to demonstrate the effect of TPPC on the moisture resistance of asphalt mixtures. This technology can be extended to other types of waste plastic if suitable fluidized beds are developed.

Mitigating Stripping in Asphalt Mixtures: Pretreatment of Aggregate by Thermoplastic Polyethylene Powder Coating

Thermoplastic polyethylene (PE) powder coating is proposed as a new technique to pretreat the aggregate of asphalt mixtures and improve the corresponding moisture resistance. In this paper, ethanol solution is investigated as a fluidized bed to disperse the PE powder. The surface tension of the solution, indicating the wettability of the liquid phase, decreases with increasing ethanol concentration and temperature. The PE powder could be stably dispersed into the solution when 15% ethanol solution heated to 40 to 50°C is used to reduce the surface tension of liquid to less than 40 mN/m. The suspension carrying the PE particles could be uniformly sprayed onto a hot aggregate surface (180–190°C) where the liquid phase evaporates fast while the PE powder melts and stays. The powder coating technique could prevent the aggregate from lumping and achieve a high-quality and efficient coating for aggregate. The PE monolayer model considering a hexagonal close packing of PE on aggregate surface is tentatively proposed to determine the theoretical amount of PE required to perfectly coat the aggregate. The predicted PE content was reasonably lower than that determined by the experimental results considering the ideal monolayer coating was hard to achieve. However, the modeling results could be used to determine the lower bound of the required PE content. The optimum PE content significantly increased with increasing particle size of PE and specific surface area of aggregate. The use of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) powder with a smaller particle size was more effective in the coating process. In addition, excessive PE could not further enhance the moisture resistance of asphalt mixtures efficiently. This study can contribute to both the recycling of waste plastic and the construction of durable asphalt pavements.

Analysis of Environmental Stresses on the Mechanical Properties of Laminated Glass Composites: A Review of Experimental Results and Outlook

Laminated glass composites are composed of two or more layers of glass and a thermoplastic elastomeric interlayer securely glued together in an autoclave at high temperature and pressure. This composite material which significantly enhances the performance of glass before and after breakage, is desirable for various engineering applications. The main elastomeric interlayer comprises Polyvinyl butyral (PVB), SentryGlas (SG), Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), and Thermoplastic Polyethylene (TPU). These interlayer materials have different unique features which offer a variety of performance benefits for engineering purposes. However, the structural response of laminated glass composites' elements and polymeric interlayers is typically prone to structural modifications relative to temperature applications and other environmental actions such as humidity and solar irradiation. This review compares the weathering resistance of the most common interlayers used in laminated glass composites based on available experimental literature findings. The main mechanical and accelerated ageing tests of laminates with different interlayer materials are summarised, giving evidence of the impact of these environmental actions on the viscoelastic and mechanical properties of laminated glass composites plates. This research provides valuable references for predicting the long-term behaviour and risk evaluation of laminated glass composites under diverse ageing conditions.

EFFECTS OF WASTE CROSSED-LINKED POLYETHYLENE ELECTRICAL WASTE COATING ON THE PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN

The high cost of construction materials and increased axle loads has motivated researchers to seek alternative cost-effective materials for road construction. Studies on the use of waste thermoplastic polyethylene material to improve bitumen properties have been investigated. However, few studies on the use of thermoset polyethylene (cross-linked polyethylene) to modify bitumen have been carried out. This research investigated the use of waste cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable coating on bitumen properties. An FTIR analysis carried out on waste XLPE cable coating revealed that it is predominantly composed of XLPE material. A comparative study carried out on the bitumen properties revealed that the modifier had a decreasing effect on its penetration and ductility but, had an increasing effect on softening point and specific gravity; Hence, a considerable improvement in the temperature susceptibility and stability of the bitumen. The short-term ageing analysis carried out revealed that the modified bitumen can withstand short-term ageing requirements at 2% and 4% by weight of pure bitumen. FTIR analysis carried out on the pure and modified bitumen revealed that changes observed in bitumen properties with increasing modifier content were a result of physical changes and not chemical changes. A one-way ANOVA carried out on the properties of various bitumen content revealed that the modifier had a significant effect on the properties of pure bitumen with increasing bitumen content. The regression models developed properly described the relationship between the modifier content and the bitumen properties as they expressed very good R2 values.

Materials Selection of Thermoplastic Matrices of Natural Fibre Composites for Cyclist Helmet Using an Integration of DMAIC Approach in Six Sigma Method Together with Grey Relational Analysis Approach

Natural fibre reinforced polymer composite (NFRPC) materials are gaining popularity in the modern world due to their eco-friendliness, lightweight nature, life-cycle superiority, biodegradability, low cost, and noble mechanical properties. Due to the wide variety of materials available that have comparable attributes and satisfy the requirements of the product design specification, material selection has become a crucial component of design for engineers. This paper discusses the study’s findings in choosing the suitable thermoplastic matrices of Natural Fibre Composites for Cyclist Helmet utilising the DMAIC, and GRA approaches. The results are based on integrating two decision methods implemented utilising two distinct decision-making approaches: qualitative and quantitative. This study suggested thermoplastic polyethylene as a particularly ideal matrix in composite cyclist helmets during the selection process for the best thermoplastic matrices material using the 6σ technique, with the decision based on the highest performance, the lightest weight, and the most environmentally friendly criteria. The DMAIC and GRA approach significantly influenced the material selection process by offering different tools for each phase. In the future study, selection technique may have been more exhaustive if more information from other factors had been added.

Reinforcement mechanisms of recycled glass beads reinforced thermoplastic foams under dynamic compressions

Polymer foams and recycled glass beads (GBs) are both promising lightweight porous materials with excellent energy-absorption performance. The dynamic response of polyethylene foams reinforced by GBs have been rarely reported. In this study, the mechanical behaviors and dynamic stress enhancement mechanisms of GBs reinforced thermoplastic polyethylene foams are experimentally investigated, and verified by finite-element (FE) numerical predictions where the GBs are explicitly modeled based on the characteristics of microstructural constituent materials. It is reported that with increasing loading rates, strain and stress localizations are more pronounced around hollow cells, GBs and the bridge regions. Ascribed to the interaction between GBs and foam matrix, higher strain rate also contributes to enhancements of elastic properties and plastic stress of GBs reinforced foams with lower and higher reinforcement volume fractions (f), respectively. In comparison with the case of low loading rate, increasing loading rate gives rise to the damage initiation in GBs at lower compressive strain, and the damage initiation leads to the plastic stress softening of foam composites. The results also demonstrate that the f and volume fraction of polymer (F) have negative and positive influence, respectively, on the energy absorption efficiency of GBs reinforced foams.

Design and Development of Textile Fabrics Using 3D Printing Technology

The Quality Management System (ISO 9000) compelled manufacturers to consider the environment by reducing the use of raw materials and energy in processes and to adopt clean energy sources. The $2.5 trillion textile sector is the world's second-largest user of water, accounting for 20% of global water waste during the processes. In terms of waste, 85 percent of textiles are disposed of in landfills and only a part of the wastage is recycled. The researcher has worked on additive manufacturing technology using 3D printers for the cleaner production of textile fabrics. It uses less material than the traditional manufacturing methods as it allows to melt/fuse/bind only the required amount of filament to develop the textile products using zero-waste sustainable design strategies. A pilot study was conducted to understand the viability of the use of 3D printing technology for the production of textile material. Based on the feedback, the researcher developed 12 textile samples using different raw materials and 3D printing machines which was further evaluated. It was seen that the most suitable materials to manufacture textiles are thermoplastic polyurethane and thermoplastic polyethylene and the most suitable machine used to manufacture them is FDM and SLA technology. This technology fulfills the Sustainable Development Goal for cleaner production of textile products. It can be concluded that the use of additive manufacturing technology in the textile industry will be a promising production process to meet various requirements especially as the path from an idea to the finished fabric becomes quite easy and fast.

Synthesis of thermoplastic polyethylene elastomers and ethylene–methyl acrylate copolymers using methylene-bridged binuclear bulky dibenzhydryl α-diimine Ni(II) and Pd(II) catalysts

Binuclear olefin polymerization catalysts have recently attracted extensive interest in the field of polyolefin synthesis due to their excellent catalytic performance. In this work, we designed and synthesized a class of methylene-bridged binuclear bulky dibenzhydryl α-diimine Ni(II) and Pd(II) catalysts and applied them to ethylene polymerization and copolymerization. The Ni(II) complexes exhibited high activities (ca. 106 g·mol−1·h−1) and yielded highly branched (79–92/1000C) polyethylenes with very high molecular weights (Mn up to 44.57 × 104 g/mol) in ethylene polymerization. The obtained polyethylene products demonstrated excellent strain recovery (SR up to 84%). Meanwhile, the corresponding Pd(II) complexes also displayed high activities (well above 105 g·mol−1·h−1), and generated highly branched (90–92/1000C) polyethylene with high molecular weights (Mn up to 27 × 104 g/mol) in ethylene polymerization. More importantly, these Pd(II) complexes led to generating highly branched (93–101/1000C) polar functional copolymers with moderate molecular weights (Mn up to 6 × 104 g/mol) and moderate incorporation ratios (ca. 1 mol%) in ethylene–methyl acrylate copolymerization. Compared with mononuclear α-diimine Ni(II) and Pd(II) catalysts, the binuclear catalysts possessed higher thermal stability and activity, generated higher molecular weights polyethylene.

Sericin cocoon bio-compatibilizer for reactive blending of thermoplastic cassava starch

Cassava starch was blended with glycerol to prepare thermoplastic starch (TPS). Thermoplastic starch was premixed with sericin (TPSS) by solution mixing and then melt-blended with polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PEMAH). The effect of sericin on the mechanical properties, morphology, thermal properties, rheology, and reaction mechanism was investigated. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the TPSS10/PEMAH blend were improved to 12.2 MPa and 100.4%, respectively. The TPS/PEMAH morphology presented polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride particles (2 μm) dispersed in the thermoplastic starch matrix, which decreased in size to approximately 200 nm when 5% sericin was used. The melting temperature of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (121 °C) decreased to 111 °C because of the small crystal size of the polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride phase. The viscosity of TPS/PEMAH increased with increasing sericin content because of the chain extension. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the reaction between the amino groups of sericin and the maleic anhydride groups of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride. This reaction reduced the interfacial tension between thermoplastic starch and polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride, which improved the compatibility, mechanical properties, and morphology of the blend.

Investigating the adhesive properties of polymers for 3D printing

The article presents the research of adhesive properties of various polymers used in additive manufacturing by fused deposition modeling. Tensile tests of additively manufactured samples of various polymers are carried out, electro-microscopic photographs of the working area are taken before and after tests, and studies on the manufacturability of printing are performed to exclude further typical errors identified during these tests. Samples of the following polymers are studied: thermoplastic resin acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS +), thermoplastic resin acrylonitrile butadiene styrene with the addition of titanium nitrite as a dye (ABS + TiN), thermoplastic resin acrylonitrile butadiene styrene with the addition of polyester inserts (ABS polylactide (PLA), polylactide based compound (PLA HP), thermoplastic polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), and nylon with carbon inserts (NSC). The work reveals the advantages and disadvantages of the investigated plastics. For example, deformations occur when the part is cooled down during printing process of ABS +, and a crack could form in stress concentrators as a result of the influence of cold air flows.

Utilization of commodity thermoplastic polyethylene (PE) by enhanced sensing performance with liquid phase electrolyte for a flexible and transparent triboelectric tactile sensor

To promote the sustainable development of single-used polyethylene (PE) commodity plastic for long-lasting use in advanced electronic devices, this work presented a successful strategy for converting PE plastic bags, which usually end up in landfills, into specifically flexible and transparent triboelectric tactile sensors (TES). In order to enhance the electrical output to meet the practical application, liquid phase electrolytes (LPEs) were introduced between double sides of thin PE layers. LPE utilization had significant influence on the output signal, resulting in an effective response to physical contact with the human hand. The effect of LPE types, i.e., acids, salts and solvent as well as concentration, on output signal was studied and clarified. The scientific working mechanism for PE/LPE TES was described based on the coupling behavior between contact electrification, electrostatic induction and ion conduction within the electric double layer. The PE/LPE TES showed the optimized signal response of Voc ~1.6 V, Isc ~673 nA and 450 W/cm2, enabled by tunable LPE types and concentrations, thus providing a hundred times more than that of pristine PE. By integrating PE/LPE TES with a signal-processing circuit, wireless application of the complete tactile sensing system has been developed further to make contact with and control home appliances such as a light bulb and an electric fan. Its flexibility and transparency has great potential adaptation for the active tactile system that can be attached to different wearable devices, textiles, or home interior decoration. This work demonstrates a facile strategy for promoting PE plastic as a high value-added electronic product that has the potential to pave the way for development in large-scale industry, and help in treating used plastic in the future. It also has the opportunity to obtain a tactile sensor that is affordable and cost-effective in making a valuable contribution in the global sensor market, thus ensuring sustainable development in both social and economic terms.

Surface Quality Evaluation of Removable Thermoplastic Dental Appliances Related to Staining Beverages and Cleaning Agents

(1) Background: Thermoplastic materials are not inert and subject to changes in the oral environment, which affect their surface quality. Color stability and topographic characteristics of clear thermoplastic appliances are critical considerations. The study aimed to evaluate the optical changes and surface topography of different thermoplastic materials related to staining beverages and cleaning agents. (2) Methods: Thermoplastic polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) material specimens were selected for the study: S (Duran, Scheu-Dental GmbH, Iserlohn, Germany), D (Biolon, Dreve Dentamid GmbH, Unna, Germany), and B (Crystal, Bio Art Dental Equipment, Sao Carlos, Brazil). Four different media were involved for immersion: coffee (C) and black tea (T) at 55 °C, Coca-Cola (K) at 5 °C, and distilled water (W) at 22 °C. As for cleaning, chemical options and mechanical brushing were selected (P-powder, T-tablets, and X-brushing). Color changes, and mean surface roughness were measured at 24 h, 48 h, and after 7 days. Statistical analysis was performed. After the testing period, atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses and SEM images were registered in order to characterize the surface topography. (3) Results: Quantitative color change evaluations revealed a slight change in color after 24 h and an extremely marked change after 48 h, respective 7 days. Mean roughness values are kept below the clinically acceptable limit of 0.20 µm for all samples. Related to mean nanoroughness values Sa, and 3D evaluations of the surface quality, Biolon samples have demonstrated the most constant behavior, while Crystal samples are visibly influenced by water immersion. Related to the cleaning method, the topography of Duran samples was influenced by mechanical brushing. (4) Conclusions: Nanoscale investigations provided high accuracy and more realistic surface quality examinations of the examined samples compared to profilometry. Both SEM and AFM should be used for a more detailed description of the surface topography.

Selective Decomposition Process and Mechanism of Si–O–Si Cross-Linking Bonds in Silane Cross-Linked Polyethylene by Solid-State Shear Milling

Material recycling of silane cross-linked polyethylene (Si-XLPE) by the solid-state shear milling (S3M) technology could produce thermoplastic polyethylene. To take advantage of thermoplastic polyethylene from Si-XLPE, the de-cross-linked mechanism of Si-XLPE in S3M must be evaluated. The products prepared by the S3M technology were characterized using gel content, molecular weight measurement (GPC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si-NMR), and re-cross-linking test to obtain insight into the selective de-cross-linking effect of the S3M technology. The results had confirmed that a cross-linking element consisting of Si–O–Si chemical bonds was destroyed during S3M, which was responsible for the destruction of cross-linked structures of Si-XLPE materials, and the molecular structures of the resulting products were close to that of silane-grafted polyethylene. The mechanical properties of Si-XLPE materials prepared by the S3M technology before and after water-cross-linking treatment were compared. It was found that the products obtained by the S3M technology could still undergo the cross-linking reaction and form more silane-grafted polyethylene with the increase of milling cycles. Based on the results of this study, we expected that practical applications of de-cross-linking of Si-XLPE materials could be successfully achieved. In this study, favorable conditions were established for the direct recovery of thermoplastic polyethylene from Si-XLPE by the selective de-cross-linking reaction in S3M and an idea about the recycling of Si-XLPE materials was developed.

Polyethylene vitrimers via silyl ether exchange reaction

Functional polyethylene (PE) bearing pendant hydroxyl groups was dynamically crosslinked via reactive extrusion using commercially available N,N′-Bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] ethylenediamine (TMSPEDA). This fast and efficient way allowed to produce PE vitrimers without synthetic effort or use of solvents, which makes the process environmentally friendly and easy to upscale. The dynamic crosslinking transformed thermoplastic PE into an elastic solid with greatly improved melt strength as revealed by DMTA and rheology. Mechanical properties could be tuned by varying the amount of TMSPEDA crosslinker. All prepared vitrimers were sparingly soluble in xylene and were not affected by moisture demonstrating crosslinked character, improved solvent resistance and excellent hydrolysis resistance which is of great importance for industrial applications. Despite the crosslink nature of the material, the dynamic silyl ether exchange enabled processability and recyclability of this system using industrially relevant techniques like injection and compression molding.

Grafting of Biodegradable Polyesters on Cellulose for Biocomposites: Characterization and Biodegradation

AbstractSustainable, biodegradable and thermoplastic processable aliphatic polyesters (polybutylene succinate (PBS) and polyethylene succinate (PES)) were prepared and characterized; then, they were grafted onto cellulose micro-fibers using a simple click reaction. This modification was conducted under simple experimental conditions. The characterization (NMR and FTIR analysis), thermal properties, solubility, morphology and biodegradation process of the all products prepared were established and studied. The results show that the solubility of the prepared derivatives is improved in comparison with cellulose, while their thermal stability showed a slight decrease compared to the starting materials. The composites derived from the modified cellulose show a slight decrease in their biodegradability in comparison with that of unmodified cellulose due to several parameters.

Theoretical modelling of kinetics of glass transition temperature of PEG toughened epoxy

ABSTRACT In this paper, we examined glass transition, a very important parameter that determines the properties and applications of epoxy resins by the innovative approach of kinetic study. The effect of thermoplastic filler Polyethylene Glycol-1000 (PEG-1000) on the kinetics of glass transition temperature of epoxy was analysed by varying the filler loadings and the heating rates. The differential scanning calorimetry curves were plotted at heating rates of 5, 10, 15 and 20°C, respectively and the kinetics of glass transition by varying the heat rates was investigated. Kissinger and Moynihan methods were employed to analyse the glass transition kinetics. The changes in glass transition have been interpreted remarkably with the constrained polymer region of the systems. The improvement in toughness of about ≈ 213% was obtained compared to the neat epoxy with an addition of about 1 wt-% of PEG loading. The toughening mechanisms were elucidated by analysing the scanning electron microscopic images of fractured samples.

Investigating the compatibility of thermoplastic polyester elastomer/high-density polyethylene blends and its effect on the horizontal flame propagation

ABSTRACTThis paper explores the use of a terpolymer, composed of ethylene–butyl acrylate–glycidyl methacrylate (PE–BA–GMA) as a compatibiliser for blending thermoplastic polyester elastomer (Hytrel) and high-density polyethylene. We have studied the effect of adding this terpolymer on the morphology of the blends, and as a result, its effect on the mechanical properties. These properties have been further corroborated with X-Ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD) and Dynamic Rheology of the blends. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) has been used to study the mode of compatibilisation, while rheology has proved useful to correlate the phase morphology with SEM. We have also studied the effect of compatibilisation of this blend on Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) and horizontal flame velocity.

Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Rods as an Effective Design Solution for the Suspensions of a Cruiser-Class Solar Vehicle

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a subgroup of the thermoplastic polyethylene characterized by extremely long chains and, as result, in a very tough and resistant material. Due to remarkable specific mechanical properties, its use is gradually being extended to multiple fields of application. This study describes, perhaps for the first time, how the UHMWPE can represent a valid material solution in the design and optimization of suspensions for automotive use, especially in the case of extremely lightweight vehicles, such as solar cars. In particular, in this design study, UHMWPE rods permitted to assure specific kinematic trajectories, functionalities, and overall performance in an exceptionally light suspension systems, developed for an innovative multioccupant solar vehicle. These rods reduced the weight by 88% with respect to the classic design solutions with similar functions, offering, at the same time, high stiffness and accuracy in the movements. An experimental campaign was conducted to evaluate the ratcheting behaviour and other mechanical properties needed for a proper design and use.