Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fibers Research Articles

Current research status of high-performance UHMWPE fiber: A review

In the relentless evolution of technological innovation, the incorporation of engineered materials across numerous sectors is becoming increasingly widespread. Among them, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber, as a novel type of engineered material, has emerged as a critical hot topic in industries such as aerospace, national defense, and new energy due to its exceptional physical and chemical properties. This article attempts to introduce the characteristics of UHMWPE fibers, including their advantages and areas for enhancement, to provide researchers with a comprehensive overview and research trajectory of UHMWPE. Moreover, this article succinctly elucidates the preparation methodologies and advances of UHMWPE fibers, encompassing mainstream dry and wet spinning methods, revealing their research trajectories, pivotal positions, and practical significance in the realm of engineered materials. In summary, this review briefly discusses the research overview and recent advances in UHMWPE fibers, which contribute to accelerating comprehensive and sustainable progress in this field.

Soluble Polyimide Coated UHMWPE Fibers with Multiple Property Enhancements: Surface Activity, Tensile Strength, Heat Resistance, Acid Resistance, and Erasability.

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers possess excellent mechanical properties, yet their applications are severely limited by surface inertness and low melting points. To enhance surface activity and temperature resistance, soluble polyimide (PI) is applied to the surface of UHMWPE fibers. A mussel-inspired biomimetic polycatechol/polyamine (PA) coating is initially constructed on the UHMWPE fiber surface by oxidative self-polymerization, serving as a secondary reaction platform. Subsequently, multifunctional UHMWPE-PA-PI fibers are prepared by depositing soluble PI on the fiber surface via impregnation. The PA and PI layers are firmly bonded by hydrogen bonding interactions and physical adhesion. The results show that the PI-coated UHMWPE fiber surface exhibits enhanced chemical activity, hydrophilicity, and thermal stability, with an increased thermal decomposition temperature of approximately 30 °C. Compared to pristine UHMWPE, the breaking force of UHMWPE-PA-PI fibers increases by 14.9%, and the interfacial adhesion strength between the fiber and rubber improves by 65.5%. The PI coatings also provide thermal insulation, acid resistance, and erasability functionalities. This modification strategy is highly efficient, simple, and less damaging, offering a novel solution to address UHMWPE fibers' surface inertness and temperature intolerance.

Enhanced thermal conductivity of UHMWPE by coating boron nitride and polyurethane composites

The development of textile wearable electronics has increased demands and requirements for thermal management materials due to integrated and miniaturized soft equipment. In this work, the surface of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers was first decorated by polydopamine (PDA) to improve the surface activity and construct a steady interface layer. Then the boron nitride/polyurethane coating surface modified UHMWPE composite yarns with good thermal conductivity were produced using a coaxial wet forming process. The thermally conductive composite yarns demonstrated great mechanical properties (5.09 % strain, 0.79 N/tex strength) and thermal conductivity (0.54 ± 0.02 W·mK−1) with the BN/PU weight ratio of 1. Furthermore, the resistance to failure cycles was taken place, and the composite yarns kept good thermal conductivity after multiple cycles twisting, bending, washing, cooling and heating cycles. By the coaxial wet fabrication, the thermally conductive composite yarns were constructed, offering a viable and trustworthy method for creating polymer-based thermal interface materials with high thermal conductivity.

Comparative analysis of spinning techniques on the performance of full-strength-grade engineered cementitious composites: Mechanical characteristics, pore structure, fiber distribution, micromorphology

The spinning techniques used for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers are crucial for enhancing the performance of ECC. However, the specific effects of different spinning techniques for UHMWPE fibers on ECC's performance are not well understood. To address this gap, this study investigates the influence of dry-spun and wet-spun spinning techniques on both the macroscopic mechanical properties and microscopic characteristics of full-strength-grade ECC. Comprehensive tests were conducted, including assessments of tensile, compressive, and flexural strength. Additionally, detailed CT-based 3D reconstruction and SEM analysis were performed to examine the pore structure, fiber orientation, and micromorphology. The findings reveal that the surface irregularities and roughness of dry-spun fibers lead to stress concentration, whereas the more uniform surface of wet-spun fibers enhances their bridging performance. Compared to dry-spun fibers, wet-spun fibers significantly improve ECC's tensile and flexural properties, enhancing ultimate tensile strength by up to 22.7 % and ultimate flexural deflection by up to 50.2 %. Additionally, wet-spun fibers result in a more uniform pore structure and better fiber alignment, creating a denser and more compact matrix. These microstructural improvements contribute to superior load transfer and energy absorption characteristics, enhancing ECC's overall performance and durability. These results underscore the critical role of fiber spinning techniques in optimizing ECC performance, contributing to more durable and sustainable structures in high-performance construction applications.

Robust all-fabric e-skin with high-temperature and corrosion tolerance for self-powered tactile sensing

Electronic skins (e-skins) for monitoring human and robot activities under extreme circumstances are significant for human-machine interaction in multiple scenarios, which is challenging to realize on fabric/textile materials. Herein, a core filling-encapsulation strategy for multi-layer weaving is explored to achieve a triboelectric triple-layer sandwich woven e-skin (TSW e-skin) for durable self-powered sensing in extreme environments. To construct a robust structure with environment adaptability, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UPE) fibers or polyimide (PI) fibers are integrated into the triple-layer sandwich woven to provide mechanical/thermal/chemical stability, and carbon fibers (CF) are protectively embedded as a core layer for electricity collection, heat management and adaptive sensing. Hydrophobic encapsulation is improved by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) thin coating with morphology and mechanical compliances. The TSW e-skin demonstrates excellent mechanical strength (∼20 MPa) and thermal stability (154.5 ℃), durable superhydrophobicity (>150°), and corrosion resistance (pH 1–13), which demonstrates an open-circuit voltage of 53 V and maintains electrically stable at above 150 ℃. The weaving structure enables the e-skin regulatable electrode patterns for sensitive motion perception and touch identification for human and robotic limbs, with real-time tactile feedback even under extreme scenarios. This robust all-fabric e-skin proposes a common strategy for human-robot perception in harsh environments.

The effect of CNT grafting on the mechanical properties of the UHMWPE fiber/HDPE composite

In order to improve the mechanical properties of the ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber‐reinforced high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) composite, carbon nanotube (CNT) was grafted on the UHMWPE fiber. The UHMWPE fiber/HDPE composite was prepared by injection molding process, and the effects of CNT contents on the mechanical properties of composite materials were studied. The results show that the mass fraction of CNT will significantly affect the mechanical properties of the composite. When the CNT content is 4 wt%, the tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength of the UHMWPE fiber/treated CNT/HDPE composite increased compared to the UHMWPE fiber/CNT/HDPE composite and UHMWPE fiber/HDPE composite. When the CNT content is 4 wt%, the above‐mentioned performance is the best. Pull‐out and fracture, bridging effect, and crack deflection effect are the main mechanisms of CNTs in UHMWPE fiber/HDPE composites. This study provides new insights into the interface design of UHMWPE fiber/HDPE composites and paves the way for their further development.

Strain-hardening ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) with hybrid steel and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers

This study addresses the advancement of strain-hardening ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) by investigating its tensile behavior with hybrid steel and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers. Through direct tensile testing of UHPC samples with varying volumes of steel and polyethylene fibers (totaling 2.0%), significant improvements in tensile strain capacity and energy absorption capacity (tensile toughness) were observed upon replacing steel fibers with polyethylene fibers. Despite marginal variations in first cracking strength and ultimate tensile strength, these properties could be finely tuned by tailing fiber length and hybrid ratio. Quantitative analysis established correlations between the hybrid fiber factor and key mechanical properties, advancing a deeper understanding of UHPC behavior. The findings underscore the benefits of multiscale fiber hybridization in UHPC, offering scientific insights into predicting and optimizing its performance for structural applications. This study helps close the gap in UHPC development, emphasizing the potential of multiscale fiber hybridization to achieve concurrently high tensile strength and strain capacity.

Feasibility of Repairing Concrete with Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fiber Cloth: A Comprehensive Literature Review

This review explores the use of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber cloth as an innovative solution for the repair and reinforcement of concrete structures. UHMWPE is a polymer formed from a very large number of repeated ethylene (C2H4) units with higher molecular weight and long-chain crystallization than normal high-density polyethylene. With its superior tensile strength, elongation, and energy absorption capabilities, UHMWPE emerges as a promising alternative to traditional reinforcement materials like glass and carbon fibers. The paper reviews existing literature on fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) applications in concrete repair in general, highlighting the unique benefits and potential of UHMWPE fiber cloth compared to other commonly used methods of strengthening concrete structures, such as enlarging concrete sections, near-surface embedded reinforcement, and externally bonded steel plate or other FRPs. Despite the scarcity of experimental data on UHMWPE for concrete repair, this review underscores its feasibility and calls for further research to fully harness its capabilities in civil engineering applications.

Effect of Hot-Pressing Process on Mechanical Properties of UHMWPE Fiber Non-Woven Fabrics.

In order to investigate the influence of a hot-pressing process on the mechanical properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber non-woven fabrics with stretch and in-plane shear, UHMWPE non-woven fabric samples were prepared by adjusting the temperature, time, and pressure of the hot-pressing process, and mechanical property tests were carried out so as to clarify the influence of the hot-pressing process on the mechanical properties of the samples. The results show that the hot-pressing process mainly affects the silk-glue bonding strength of the samples; in the test range, with the increase in hot-pressing temperature and time, the tensile strength and in-plane shear strength of the samples increase and then decrease, and the best mechanical properties are obtained at 130 °C and 7 min of hot pressing, respectively; at 130 °C, the in-plane shear strength is 39.94 MPa and the tensile strength is 595.43 MPa; at 7 min, the in-plane shear strength is 63.0 MPa and the tensile strength is 643.30 MPa; with the increase in the hot-pressing pressure, the in-plane shear strength of the samples increases and then decreases, and the highest is 52.60 MPa, achieved at 8 MPa; in the range of 5-8 MPa, the tensile strength of the specimens did not change significantly, and increased significantly at 9 MPa, reaching a maximum strength of 674.55 MPa.

Enhancing the self-healing performance of engineered cementitious composites in harsh environment through cementitious matrix optimization and crack width controlling

The fragile cementitious materials can be easily cracked under service in the harsh environment, which can reduce the loading capacity of concrete structures and its expected service life. The self-curing ability of cementitious materials is thus essential for the resilience of the concrete structures in harsh environments. The purpose of the study is to enhance the self-healing ability of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) in harsh environment though cementitious matrix optimization and crack width controlling. The cementitious matrix containing cement, silica fume, and fly ash is optimized based on the Simple Centroid Method. The Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers have been selected as reinforcing materials due to their superior mechanical performance. The results show that the compressive strength of the ECC samples generally increases with the silica fume content, and the tensile strength rises with both the silica fume and cement content. Meanwhile, the ultimate tensile strain of the ECC samples increases and declines with the fly ash and silica fume content, respectively. The self-repairing properties of the pre-damaged ECC specimens with 5 % strain are examined through exposure in the simulated harsh environment. It is found that the exposure to the groundwater environment can improve the self-curing ability of the pre-damaged ECC specimens, while the self-curing ability can be deteriorated under exposure to the marine environment. Furthermore, the crack sealing and strength recovery ability of cementitious materials can be enhanced with higher fly ash content and lower silica fume content. Finally, the self-curing mechanism of the ECC samples is analyzed by means of the phase and microstructure analysis. Exposure to groundwater environments can promote the generation of the C–S–H gel and calcium carbonate in the self-curing product, and thus enhance the self-healing efficiency. This study can contribute the resilience enhancement of the concrete structure in harsh environments.

Comparison of the physico-chemical behavior of two prepregs used for body armor

The development of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers has resulted in continued improvement in ballistic protection, along with reduced weight in body armors. Prepregs from newly developed fibers are constantly available, although prepregs from older brands still remain on the market. In this work, the physicochemical properties of two successive generations of pre-impregnated materials are characterized to compare the two materials in the as-received condition and also after be consolidated in a ballistic plate. The results showed that fibers from the newer brand have a smaller diameter and greater tensile strength. This is an important result because the tensile strength of fibers is one of the variables that influence the ballistic performance of body armors. The smaller diameter of these fibers was associated with a greater degree of stretching during their manufacture, as revealed by the presence of two melting peaks in the DSC analysis.

Ballistic performance of flexible structures composed of UHMWPE fibers and airbag: Effects of the stacking order

A series of flexible structures incorporating an airbag and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber panels were designed as temporary architectures to offer both ballistic protective functions and lightweight constructions. Three primary structural configurations, monolithic structures (airbag or UHMWPE panel alone), bi-layer structures (airbag/ UHMWPE panel and UHMWPE panel/airbag), and sandwich structures (UHMWPE panel/airbag/ UHMWPE panel) were tested. A T12A carbon tool steel sphere with the diameter of 12.7 mm was utilized as the ballistic threat within an impact velocity range of 0–500 m/s. Investigations into the effect of stacking order on ballistic performance were carried out experimentally and numerically. The failure characteristics, ballistic limits, energy dissipations, impact processes and interaction effects of these structures are discussed. To facilitate the establishment of numerical models for impact analysis using ABAQUS, a material constitutive model of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) including strain rate effect was developed. The numerical models of the monolithic single-sheet UHMWPE panel and airbag for impact analysis were subsequently verified by experiments in terms of impact processes and ballistic limits. The results reveal that arranging a few layers of UHMWPE panels in front of the airbag can improve the collapse ballistic limit while maintaining the failure ballistic limit. The inclusion of an airbag reduces the energy dissipation efficiency of composite structures. The potential to enhance ballistic protection through the combination of airbags and UHMWPE panels is highlighted. Stress dispersion and deformation restraint are identified as significant factors influencing the ballistic performance of the composite structures.

Ballistic performance of UHMWPE fiber laminates with pre-formed holes

Understanding how previous ballistic impacts affect the subsequent penetration resistance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber laminates is crucial for their application in multi-hit scenarios. In order to investigate the effect of fiber fracture, a systematic examination of the ballistic performance of UHMWPE laminates with pre-formed holes is conducted through a combined experimental and numerical approach. Penetration resistance, dynamic penetration process, and deformation/failure modes of laminates with different configurations of pre-formed holes are tested and compared. A full three-dimensional finite element model is established, and a continuum homogenized model is utilized to simulate the laminate. The effectiveness of numerical model is validated by achieving a reasonable agreement between predictions and measurements. The presence of a single pre-formed hole will change the severity of delamination and result in tear failures, while it has minimal effect on penetration resistance until the spacing distance reaches 10 mm. When spacing distance remains the same, the change in orientation of a single pre-formed hole has little influence on the velocity history. Further, an enhancement in ballistic performance is observed when the number of pre-formed holes is increased to four, due mainly to the significant pull-in at the edge of pre-formed hole and the released fiber tensile stresses. The results of this study are valuable for comprehending the ballistic performance of UHMWPE laminate when subjected to multiple projectile impacts and have practical implications for the design of advanced protective systems.

Polymer Physics behind the Gel-Spinning of UHMWPE Fibers.

Gel-spinning of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers has attracted great interest in academia and industry since its birth and commercialization in the 1980s, due to unique properties such as high modulus, low density, and excellent chemical resistance. However, the high viscosity and long relaxation time greatly complicate processing. In industry, solvents, like decalin and paraffin oil, usually disentangle the physical networks and promote final drawability. From extruding the polymer solution to post-solid-stretching, many polymer physics problems that accompany high-modulus fiber gel-spinning should be understood and addressed. In this review, by detailed discussions about the effect of entanglements and intracrystalline chain dynamics on the mechanical properties of UHMWPE, theoretical descriptions of the structure formation of disentangled UHMWPE crystals, and the origin of high modulus and strength of final fibers are provided. Several physical intrinsic key factors are also discussed, revealing why UHMWPE is an ideal material for producing high-performance fibers.

Thermal aging behavior and heat resistance mechanism of ultraviolet crosslinked ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene fiber

AbstractAs advances in heat resistant ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber via ultraviolet (UV) crosslinking, it is worth paying attention to its thermal aging behavior and heat resistance mechanism. UHMWPE fibers in different forms, the fully drawn yarn (FDY) and the UV crosslinked FDY (UVFDY), are subjected to isothermal aging at 135°C. The effects of thermal aging on their surface morphology and mechanical properties are studied and compared initially. The results demonstrate that UVFDY is a kind of a heat‐resistant fiber. Subsequently, to reveal the heat resistance mechanism of UVFDY, its crystalline and orientation structure evolution during thermal aging are further studied. It is indicated that the formation of dense‐packing crystals and disorientation behavior lead to fiber shrink, so that a number of grooves appear on the fiber surface. Since the crosslinked stucture of UVFDY hinders its molecules movement, the crystallization and disorientation behavior of UVFDY are weaker than those of FDY, resulting in UVFDY possesses slighter thermal shrinkage (Ts), fewer grooves and better mechanical properties than those of FDY. Therefore, the heat resistance of the fiber improves effectively after UV crosslinking. This work provides insights into the structure–property relationship of UVFDY during thermal aging, and offers basis data for its application in specific conditions.

Influence of Oxygen/Argon/Nitrogen multi-component plasma modification on interlayer toughening of UHMWPE fiber reinforced composites

The study reveals the influence of glow discharged three gas sources of Oxygen/Argon/Nitrogen plasma modification on interlayer toughening of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber reinforced composite. The failure modes under bending, tensile and interlayer fracture toughness testing were analyzed through acoustic emission (AE) technology. The results showed that Oxygen/Argon/Nitrogen multi-component plasma modified fiber introduced more hydrophilic groups such as hydrogen and hydroxyl groups, and significantly enhanced the binding of fiber and matrix. The GⅠC (Mode-I interlaminar fracture toughness) of multi-component plasma modified composites exhibited increased by 61.67 %, 40.88 % and 18.01 % compared to untreated, Oxygen and Oxygen/Argon plasma, respectively, while GⅡC (Mode-II interlaminar fracture toughness) increased by 38.57 %, 25.57 % and 23.09 %. AE cluster analysis exhibited that multi-component plasma modified composites formed an energy dissipation mechanism dominated by fiber breakage. Additionally, the oxygen, argon, and nitrogen plasma modification have a synergistic effect on interlayer toughening.

High elastic modulus polyethylene: Process‐structure‐property relationships

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that gel‐spun‐ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) produces thin fibril products that exhibit high tensile moduli (35–200 GPa). The elaborate gel‐spinning process involves complex drawing stages with solvent incorporation. In this study, a previously proposed two‐stage, environmentally friendly solventless methodology was optimized. The two‐stage process included cross‐rolling (Stage 1) and orientation (Stage 2) to obtain oriented HDPE thin rods with an impressively high modulus using conventional HDPE. The optimization of the process was successfully achieved by thoroughly investigating the voiding mechanism. In addition, rapid relaxation during orientation supports the cavitation mechanism. Owing to this optimization, a modulus of 75 GPa was readily attained. The significant enhancement in the mechanical properties was a direct result of the optimization of our processing methodology to achieve a high degree of orientation. Notably, the fabricated oriented HDPE thin rods showed moduli comparable to those of the gel‐spun UHMWPE fibers but were at least 40 times thicker. Our comprehensive characterization of the voiding process and stress relaxation during our two‐stage process indicated the formation of a highly taut network structure and craze‐like configuration with controlled delamination. Thus, our proposed hierarchical model was refined to elucidate the process‐structure‐property relationships in greater detail.Highlights An optimized two‐stage environmentally friendly solventless process has been developed to create oriented polyethylene thin rods with impressively high modulus (75 GPa). The optimization was achieved by thoroughly investigating the voiding effect during cross‐rolling and crystalline relaxation during orientation. Comparison of the modulus from our process are similar to various commercial, gel‐spun fibers. Our thin rod products are at least 40 times thicker than commercial gel‐spun fibers. The thin rod product has impressively high modulus‐to‐weight and strength‐to‐weight ratios for future study in composite systems.

Flexible, lightweight, high strength and high efficiently hierarchical Gd2O3/PE composites based on the UHMWPE fibers with self-reinforcing strategy for thermal neutron shielding

To tackle the challenge for materials in the fields such as deep space exploration with flexibility, light weight, high strength, and highly efficient neutron shielding properties, a novel organic-inorganic composites has been developed in this study. Based on ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers self-reinforcing linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) matrix method and hierarchical scattering and absorption strategy, a flexibly and light-weight multilayer structure has been designed with alternating gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3)/LLDPE layers and UHMWPE fiber layers by stacking hot-pressing to augment the mechanical properties and neutron shielding efficiency of the composites. Moreover, PE, including UHMWPE fibers and LLDPE matrix, and Gd2O3 has been utilized as neutron shielding element to enhance its neutron scattering and absorption capability via an abundance of hydrogen atoms and Gd element. The neutron shielding performance of the multilayer Gd2O3/UHMWPE/LLDPE composite, with a low density of ca. 1 g/cm3, has been verified by neutron shielding test and a simulation method of equivalent Gd areal density (EGdAD). As a result, an ca. 90.0% neutron shielding efficiency can be achieved with only 2 mm thickness of the composites (with 20 wt% Gd2O3), and an EGdAD value of 0.0489 g/cm3 is required to achieve 99% shielding efficiency. Moreover, the composites have a significant improvement in the tensile strength and modulus, with an average increase of 1000% (15.86 MPa–179.95 MPa) and 1238% (230.53 MPa–2787.55 MPa) compared to the Gd2O3/LLDPE composites, respectively. The comprehensive performance of our developed multilayer Gd2O3/UHMWPE/LLDPE composites is superior to previously reported results in the literatures. Therefore, it has great application prospect in the various fields like aerospace.

Synergistically improving interface behavior by designing physical twisting structure and “rigid-flexible” interface layer on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber surface

The application limitations of Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber reinforced composites in different fields can be attributed to their surface chemical inertness and weak interfacial adhesion. Herein, we developed a novel method for preparation of a stable biomimetic layer surface treatment, via the combination use of physical twisting structure and “rigid-flexible” interface layer. Unlike the conventional methods under special conditions, in this method, the UHMWPE fibers were converted into twisting structure, and the efficient nanoparticle deposition facilitated on the fiber surface in the presence of reductive dopamine coating. Moreover, the multi-structured synergy promotes the roughness of the T-UHMWPE fiber, which improves the interface bonding strength of the fibers-reinforced composites. The effectiveness of the modified treatment was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), microscopic confocal laser Raman spectrometer (Raman), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle and surface free energy. The surface morphology and interfacial properties of the treatment was evaluated using field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The experimental results demonstrated that the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of the modified T-UHMWPE was improved by 218 %, compared with those of the unmodified UHWMPE fibers. This innovative approach, combining physical twisting structure and “rigid-flexible” interface layer, would provide a valuable potential for the preparation of advanced UHMWPE reenforced composites with high interfacial bond strength.

Tensile Strength Statistics and Fracture Mechanism of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fibers: On the Weibull Distribution.

To study the distribution of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE) strength, three groups of UHMWPE fibers were spun by the gel spinning method, which was undrafted raw fibers (with high strain at break) and fibers with different prespinning and postspinning draw ratios. It is found that even when the strain at break (εb) > 46%, the tensile strength of the fiber still obeys the Weibull distribution. The draw ratio has a great influence on the distribution of fiber strength, especially the draw ratios of the spinneret in the prespinning process. It may be that different drafting processes affect the fracture mechanism of the fibers. This paper analyzes and discusses that and proves it by differential scanning calorimetry and the taut tie molecules (TTMs) fractions. The parameters of the Weibull distribution suggest the quality of the fiber. The Weibull modulus is closely related to the dispersion of the fiber properties and processing parameters. The characteristic strength is similar to the test average strength, which is more suitable for the judgment of fiber reliability in actual use. At the same time, the normality of the samples was tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk, Jarque-Bera test, and quantile-quantile (Q-Q) plots, and the strength distribution was visually displayed by the bell curve. The results show that the Gaussian distribution is not so suitable to describe the strength distribution of the stretched fiber compared to the Weibull distribution.