Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R80087/01
Title:	Novel Process for the Manufacture of Highly Oriented Polymer Wires at Economically Viable Production Rates
Principal Investigator:	Barton, Professor D
Other Investigators:	Ward, Professor IM
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Bridon International Ltd Dupont
Department:	Mechanical Engineering
Organisation:	University of Leeds
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	02 August 2002	Ends:	01 December 2005	Value (£):	316,644
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Characterisation Materials Processing
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Manufacturing
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Recent research at Leeds has demonstrated the feasibility of producing highly oriented polymer wires with very attractive mechanical properties for wire rope applications. However, conventional die-drawing into ambient conditions appears to be unable to provide economically viable wire production rates due to the tendency of the wire to fracture as the speed is increased. Sophisticated coupled thermo-mechanical models of the polymer wire drawing process exist but are currently unable to provide the predictive capability required to overcome these processing problems due to (a) lack of material data at sufficiently high strain rates, and (b) lack of understanding and data on the internal damage mechanisms that lead to fracture of the wire. The proposed project aims to overcome these deficiencies by means of a comprehensive series of material property tests and physical characterisation studies on the polymers of interest over the desired range of temperature and strain rate conditions. The information provided by these studies will be incorporated in new material algorithms that can be applied to investigate alternative processes for polymer wire drawing. By exploring different possible configurations which may include die-drawing,. roller-drawing and free tensile drawing under carefully controlled conditions, it is proposed to establish an optimum processing route for the production of high modulus, high strength polymer wire at commercially viable production rates.
Key Findings
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Organisation Website:	http://www.leeds.ac.uk