Design of UHMWPE Short Fiber‐Reinforced and Fabric‐Laminated Polyurethane Composites via a Synergistic Reinforcement Strategy

ABSTRACT Ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers exhibit exceptional mechanical properties; however, their chemically inert surfaces result in weak interfacial bonding with polymer matrices, which limits their applications in fiber‐reinforced composites. Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) is commonly used as a compatible matrix with UHMWPE fibers, but conventional polyether‐based WPUs possess low stiffness, restricting the mechanical performance of the composites. To address this issue, a polyester‐type polyurethane matrix was synthesized in situ to enhance stiffness and interfacial compatibility. Meanwhile, plasma‐treated UHMWPE short fibers were introduced to reinforce the resin layer, and the optimized matrix was further combined with plasma‐treated UHMWPE fabrics to construct a synergistic reinforcement structure consisting of short‐fiber “fishbones” and fabric “fish spines.” Experimental results demonstrated that when 0.5 wt% plasma‐treated UHMWPE short fibers were incorporated into the resin layer and the woven UHMWPE fabric was also plasma‐treated, the composite achieved a peak load of 3041.123 N, a peel strength of 1.62 N/mm, and a flexural strength of 31.28 MPa, corresponding to increases of approximately 26.13%, 60.39%, and 68.98% over the untreated samples. In addition, the visible local damaged area decreased from 71.17 to 52.04 mm ² , further confirming the improved damage resistance under low‐velocity impact. This synergistic reinforcement–based composite design provides a promising pathway for the development of lightweight and protective composite materials under low‐velocity impact conditions.