A technique that gives plastic pipes so-called super-strength has been created by a team of engineers from the University of Bradford in the U.K.

Using a die-drawing process wherein standard plastic is drawn through a die and over a mandrel, thereby changing the materials’ properties at the molecular level, reportedly made the plastic stronger and more durable, according to the team of Bradford engineers.

Source: The University of BradfordSource: The University of Bradford

The researchers explained: “Pulling plastic through a die…forces the molecules in the plastic to realign, so they are all facing the same direction, which makes it much stronger. In our biaxial pipes, we use a combination of a die and a mandrel to give us a balanced molecular alignment down the length of the pipe and through its thickness.”

In the lab, the Bradford team found that the new ‘biaxially oriented’ polyethylene and polypropylene pressure pipes outperformed standard plastic plumbing pipes in pressure tests. Further, the pipes proved less expensive to transport, longer lasting and thus more sustainable.

The die-drawing process is currently being commercialized by Saudi Arabia-based petrochemicals manufacturer SABIC.

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