When I compact the composite based 85% UHMWPE by hot press, the surface is good and flexible and seems melted well, but the inside likes foam material and so brittle.
The press was heated at 180,220,245 but none of them works.
Shoufan Cao, Hongtao Liu, Shirong Ge, Gaofeng Wu. Mechanical and tribological behaviors of UHMWPE composites filled with basalt fibers[J]. Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, 2011, 30(4): 347-355.
you can see this article,it's like your reserach. I think the reason that the inside of the material likes foam is the press time is too short or the machine cannot keep the right temperature.