5 Must-Have Features in a UHMWPE Pipe Manufacturer

Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is increasingly becoming notable across various industries with the need for materials that possess qualities like high strength, durability and chemical resistance. Compared to traditional plastics, this polymer showcases outstanding properties like abrasion resistance, low friction coefficient and impact resistance. 

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit our website.

As demand grows for lightweight materials that are reliable in manufacturing, UHMWPE rises as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to metals or wood. In , statistical research stated that UHMWPE market cap was valued at USD 998.2 million and is estimated to grow up to USD .4 million by the year .

For engineers, understanding the properties and use cases of this polymer is essential. In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about UHMWPE. Read on to learn more!

UHMWPE morphological structure (Image Source: Researchgate)

Key Properties of UHMWPE

UHMWPE’s key properties are extreme toughness and durability, low friction, excellent abrasion resistance, chemical and moisture resistance, and biocompatibility. These attributes jointly position this material as the top choice across different industries. 

From heavy-duty industrial and engineering applications to life-saving medical interventions, where reliability, longevity, and performance are paramount, UHMWPE caters for all. Let’s have a detailed look at its properties!

1. Extreme Toughness and Durability

UHMWPE’s resilience in difficult industrial situations is really remarkable as its molecular structure forms a hardened bond that resists distortion even under extreme force. This inherent toughness is characterized by its long chain of ethylene monomers which translates to an impeccable impact resistance, a quality that is withstanding even at temperatures below zero degrees.

Whether enduring harsh impacts or navigating frigid climates, UHMWPE ensures reliability and longevity in the most demanding conditions.

2. Low Friction and Excellent Abrasion Resistance

A standout feature of UHMWPE is its low coefficient of friction, making it an ideal choice for applications requiring smooth, sliding surfaces thus minimizing the need for lubrication, thereby cutting down on maintenance costs and enhancing operational efficiency. 

Industries ranging from manufacturing to food processing benefit from UHMWPE’s low friction characteristics, which improve performance and extend the lifespan of critical industrial machinery.

3. Chemical and Moisture Resistance

UHMWPE’s resistance to chemicals makes it invulnerable to the corrosive natures of various substances. This makes it the preferred for deployment in hostile environments. 

Its ability to absorb low moisture further enhances its effectiveness in damp or wet conditions better than traditional materials. Industries that operate in humid and semi-humid areas tend to rely on UHMWPE to deliver seamless durability and reliability ensuring increased lifespan of the industry equipment.

4. Biocompatibility and Medical Use

UHMWPE has been a game-changer in the medical field due to its biocompatibility nature and wear resistance. Its inert state and compatibility with body tissues makes it a vital material for joint replacements and prosthetics. 

Patients benefit from its ability to seamlessly integrate into the body while enduring the asperity in day-to-day activities. With an aging population and a projection in demand for joint replacements, UHMWPE plays a pivotal role in improving the quality of life for countless individuals.

Industrial and Commercial Applications

UHMWPE, with its impressive array of properties, has a vast application paradigm in industrial and commercial sectors, offering solutions to a variety of challenges.

Marine Industry

UHMWPE forms the part of the backbone that enhances safety and durability in the marine industry. Dock fender pads and pile guards, typically exposed to harsh conditions and constant impact from vessels, benefit from UHMWPE’s outstanding rigidness and abrasion resistance.

These components endure relentless forces without giving in to wear and tear, ensuring prolonged service life and reduced maintenance costs. Moreover, anti-skid walkways made from UHMWPE provide secure footing for personnel, minimizing the risk of slips and falls in maritime environments.

Material Handling 

Material handling operations depend on UHMWPE for its ability to curb wear and noise while improving efficiency. Chute liners, hopper linings, and truck bed liners crafted from UHMWPE offer robust protection against abrasive materials and heavy loads. 

By reducing friction and dampening noise levels, UHMWPE liners enhance material flow and contribute to a noise reduced environment. Various industries ranging from mining, construction to agriculture benefit from these durable and low-maintenance solutions.

UHMWPE cord (Image Source: Amazon)

Food Processing 

UHMWPE comes up as a preferred material for different components in food processing industries where hygiene and corrosion resistance are crucial. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and disinfect thus making it ideal for food contact surfaces such as conveyor belts, cutting boards and processing equipment. 

Additionally, UHMWPE’s  resistance to corrosion and chemical exposure ensures compliance with food safety regulations. Whether in meat processing plants, breweries, or dairy facilities, UHMWPE components contribute to the production of safe and high-quality food products.

Sports and Leisure

Sports and leisure industries utilize the impact resistance of UHMWPE to enhance safety and performance in various applications. Protective gear such as helmets, pads, and body armor infuse UHMWPE fibers to absorb and minimize impact forces. This reduces the risk of injuries like blunt force traumas during sports and recreational activities. 

UHMWPE’s abilities discussed earlier like durability and low friction allow for smooth gliding and swift maneuvers on various surfaces when used on components such as ski bases, snowboard bottoms and skateboard decks.

Manufacturing Processes and Fabrication

The manufacturing and processing techniques employed for Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) play an important role in shaping its properties and determining its suitability for various applications. We are going to look at the different stages of UHMWPE production and key processing methods utilized.

1. Polymerization of UHMWPE

The first step in UHMWPE manufacturing is the polymerization process. UHMWPE is produced through a process called Ziegler-Natta polymerization.

Using a catalyst system, ethylene monomers are polymerized resulting in formation of long polymer chains with ultrahigh molecular weight. Controlling the molecular weight distribution of the polymers is essential to warrant the desired properties of UHMWPE. 

2. Melt Processing Techniques

The melting processing techniques are used commonly to shape and mold UHMWPE into desired forms. These techniques majorly involve heating the UHMWPE resin to a molten state then using different molding methods to transform it into a desired shape.

3. Ram Extrusion

Ram extrusion is a popular processing method for UHMWPE that is used to force the molten UHMWPE through a die using a ram or piston. This method allows for the production of continuous profiles, such as rods, tubes, and sheets, with precise dimensions and excellent surface finish. 

4. Compression Molding

In this step, the molten UHMWPE is placed into a mold cavity then pressure is exerted to shape into the required form. The compression molding technique is suitable for products that will have a varying thickness in post-production.

Advanced Grades and Modifications

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene is available in various grades tailored for specific user needs. These grades include:

• Natural Virgin: It is the most basic cost-effective option since it’s tough, resistant to wear, collisions, and chemicals, making it suitable for many use cases.
• Reprocessed: This grade is more budget-friendly and  best used for less demanding jobs compared to the virgin grade.
• Anti-Static: It is a UHMWPE designed to prevent static buildup especially in places where static build could be a potential cause for problems, like around flammable materials.
• Tivar: This grade is optimized for the protection of machinery parts like chain guides and rollers. It’s also excellent at reducing wear and tear.
• Tivar HOT: It is formulated to maintain its strengths and properties even at high temperatures, making it useful in hot environments.
• Tivar 88: This is a premium grade mainly used for lining equipment in bulk material handling. It offers high-level protection and longevity.
• Tivar DrySlide: This grade combines anti-static properties with self-lubrication, reducing friction and wear.
• IPX : It is an advanced polyethylene with better benefits than standard UHMWPE. It’s engineered for superior performance in demanding applications.

Each of these grades has its own strengths, allowing for a wide range of applications across industries while being cost-effective and user-friendly.

Sustainability Aspect of UHMWPE

Environmental effects may result from the disposal of UHMWPE which are frequently dumped in landfills or burned. Because of its molecular structure, it is difficult to recycle overused materials. 

Potent greenhouse gasses like Methane can be produced when they are dumped in landfills thus affecting the quality of water and soil. Burning of UHMWPE may also produce ash that must be dumped in landfills and tend to emit greenhouse gasses that pollute the atmosphere. 

On the other hand, the processes used to produce Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene i.e removal of raw materials, production of the polymer and creation of the final product, use energy and materials that produce emissions and trash.

UHMWPE is produced using ethylene, a hydrocarbon that can be found in crude oil or Natural Gas and thus doesn’t require a lot of resources to produce. However, the processing and extraction of these raw materials may have adverse effects on the environment, including water use and pollution risk.

Currently there are few possibilities for the responsible disposal of UHMWPE. Nonetheless, setting up strategies to recycle this polymer can help in reducing its negative effects on the environment.

Recycling can assist in conserving resources and lower the need for raw materials but it can also be challenging to recycle due to its molecular makeup. And even so, there are currently few methods of recycling.

UHMWPE hose pipe (mage Source: Chemical Support)

Conclusion

UHMWPE is definitely a cutting-edge innovation in the world of polymers, offering a unique combination of resilience, strength and low friction setting it apart from other plastics with an array of benefits.

These benefits include but are not limited to: improved efficiency, cost-reduction, performance enhancement of countless products and processes. Whether you are an engineer seeking reliable materials or simply curious about plastics, UHMWPE deserves your attention. 

New discoveries and technological advances are made gradually in the field of material science and as such we cannot help but wonder what the future holds in the innovation and creative uses involving UHMWPE plastics. This guide serves as a foundation to appreciate the potential of the polymer therefore encouraging you to further explore its benefits and applications.

UHMWPE Pipe

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE-UHMW) pipes

Product profile:

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) (UPE) pipe is continuously extruded by ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) resin with molecular weight more than 2.5 million.

UHMWPE pipe is suitable for mining, electric power, coal, chemical industry and other special mining enterprises.

The advantages :

High wear resistance: 4 times of steel pipe, 3 times of ordinary PE pipe and 4 times of nylon. It has been proved that UHMWPE pipeline is a common wear-resistant pipeline for small particle slurry transportation.

High corrosion resistance: ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has saturated molecular structure, high chemical stability and resistance to various corrosive media and organic solvents.

High flexibility: the elongation at break can reach more than 400%, there is a large bending in the construction, and the crustal subsidence can be elongated to 3 times no fracture.

High impact resistance: the impact strength is the highest in all kinds of plastics, which is 10 times higher than that of HDPE and 6 times that of nylon.Whether external strong impact or internal pressure fluctuations, impact, it is difficult to make it crack.

Low temperature resistance: excellent low temperature resistance, at -40 °C, the impact strength reaches a higher value.Good performance can be maintained at very low temperatures, especially suitable for medium transportation in cold areas.

Not easy to scale: smooth inside and outside walls of pipes, excellent non-adhesion and self-lubricating, fouling materials difficult to deposit and attach, greatly saving the cost of pipe descaling maintenance.

Anti-aging: its aging resistance is better than that of PE100, buried for 50 years, and its mechanical properties are reduced by only 20%.

The energy saving effect is good: the friction coefficient is 0.07-0.11, the roughness is only 1 / 6 of the new steel pipe, the circulation capacity is over 50% higher than that of the steel pipe, and the inner diameter of the steel pipe can be reduced by about 15% compared with that of the steel pipe.

Safe and environment-friendly: It is non-toxic and tasteless, and meets the requirements of the national drinking water pipeline.

Installation convenience: UHMWPE pipe weight is 1/8 of steel pipe, greatly reduced installation costs.Direct flanging of pipe body for pipe connection.Flange butt, do not need to add seals; can also be inserted hot-melt welding, high interface strength, easy to operate.

Features

Unit

UHMWPE Pipe

Q235Steel Pipe

HDPE Pipe

density

g/cm

3

0.96

7.85

0.93

average molecular weight

10

4

250

-

15-30

yield point stress

MPa

22

126

11

tensile strength

MPa

40

235

24

elongation at break

%

400

25

300

Impact strength (notches)

K

j/m

2

110

60

20

friction factor

-

0.07-0.11

0.32-0.45

0.32-0.44

Mortar wear

%

0.3

1.82

3.45

Low temperature resistanc

e

℃

-100

-30

-70

Specification:

Plastic Pipe Size Series     UHMW

PE

PIPE Thickness (

e

min

), SDR, PN       Design Stress

ó

D=10  Standard: GB/T.1/

d

(mm)

SDR33

SDR26

SDR21

SDR17

SDR13.6

SDR11

SDR9

0.6

MPa

0.8

MPa

1.0

MPa

1.25

MPa

1.6

MPa

2.0MPa

2.5MPa

e  

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e  

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e  

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

63

5.8

1.07

7.1

75

6.8

1.51

8.4

90

6.7

1.82

8.2

2.18

10.1

110

6.6

2.23

8.1

2.69

10

3.25

12.3

125

6

2.33

7.4

2.84

9.2

3.45

11.4

4.2

14.0

140

5.4

2.38

6.7

2.92

8.3

3.55

10.3

4.34

12.7

5.24

15.7

160

6.2

3.11

7.7

3.81

9.5

4.65

11.8

5.67

14.6

6.88

17.9

180

6.9

3.9

8.6

4.79

10.7

5.9

13.3

7.2

16.4

8.84

20.1

200

6.2

7.7

4.8

9.6

5.95

11.9

7.26

14.7

8.84

18.2

10.91

22.

4

225

6.9

8.6

6.05

10.8

7.53

13.4

9.22

16.6

11.44

20.5

13.83

25.

2

250

7.7

9.6

7.52

11.9

9.2

14.8

11.31

18.4

14.07

22.7

17.02

27.9

280

8.6

10.7

9.4

13.4

11.63

16.6

14.48

20.6

17.66

25.4

21.32

31.

3

315

9.7

12.1

11.94

15

14.63

18.7

18.33

23.2

22.38

28.6

27.03

35.

2

355

10.9

13.6

15.11

16.9

18.91

21.1

23.33

26.1

28.38

32.2

34.28

39.

7

400

12.3

15.3

19.12

19.1

24.12

23.7

29.52

29.4

35.99

36.3

With competitive price and timely delivery, Dragon sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

43.55

44.

7

450

13.8

17.2

24.69

21.5

30.5

26.7

37.42

33.1

45.63

40.9

55.19

50.

3

500

15.3

19.1

30.48

23.9

37.68

29.7

46.24

36.8

56.46

45.4

68.08

55.

8

560

17.2

21.4

38.2

26.7

47.19

33.2

57.9

41.2

70.66

5

1

.

0

85.34

630

19.3

24.1

48.46

30

59.6

37.4

73.35

46.

4

89.34

57.

3

108.1

710

21.8

27.2

61.63

33.9

76.68

42.1

93.54

52.

3

114.22

800

24.5

30.6

78.04

38.1

97.19

47.

1

118.67

900

27.6

34.4

99.11

42.9

122.93

53.

0

150.08

30.6

38.2

121.79

47.7

151.93

36.7

4

5.9

175.73

57.2

216.74

Steel Pipe Size Series     UHMWPE PIPE Thickness (emin), SDR, PN       Design Stress óD=10  Standard: GB/T.1/

d

(mm)

SDR33

SDR26

SDR21

SDR17

SDR13.6

SDR11

SDR9

0.6

MPa

0.8

MPa

1.0

MPa

1.25

MPa

1.6

MPa

2.0MPa

2.5MPa

e  

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e  

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e  

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e  

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

e

(mm)

Weight  Kg/m

6

5

5

.9

7.

3

7

6

6.

9

8.

5

89

6.

6

8.

1

10.

0

1

08

6.

4

8.

0

9.8

12.

1

1

33

6

.4

7.

9

9.

8

12.1

14.

9

1

59

6.1

7.6

9

.

5

1

1.7

1

4.5

1

7

.

8

219

6.7

8.4

10.5

13.0

1

6.1

1

9.9

24.5

273

8.4

10.5

13.0

16.2

20.1

24.8

30.5

325

10.0

12.5

15.5

1

9.3

23.9

29.5

36.3

377

11.6

14.4

1

8.0

22

.4

27.7

34.2

42.1

426

13.1

16.3

20.3

25.3

31.3

38.7

47.6

4

80

14.7

18.4

22.9

28.5

35.3

43.6

53.6

530

16.3

20.3

25.3

31.4

40.0

48.1

630

19.3

24.1

30.0

37.4

46.3

57.3

720

22.1

27.5

34.3

42

.7

53

.4

820

25.1

31.3

39.1

48.6

920

28.2

35.2

4

3.9

54.5

31.2

39.0

48.6

37.4

46

.6

58.1

UHMWPE Mining Pipe

Attributes of UHMWPE Pipe

UHMWPE Mining pipe Benefits:

1. High Wear Resistant

Compare with existing plastic pipes, Wear resistant UNMWPE pipe has the most excellent wear resistance which is 4 to 7 times that of Q235 steel pipe and 2.7 times that of wear-resistant steel 16Mn. Therefore it increases pipe flow rate and improves the transmission efficiency of more than 20%. The working life of UHMWPE pipes is more than 3 times that of wear-resistant steel pipe. Wear resistant UHMWPE pipe has great advantages to replace traditional metal pipes in delivering abrasive media.

2. Impact Resistant

Wear resistant UHMWPE pipe is greatly impact resistant which is 5 times that of HDPE pipe, 2 times that of PC pipe and 10 times that of PTFE pipes.With extraordinary impact resistance，UHMWPE pipe can withstand great water hammer impact when starting up pump station.

3. Low Energy Consumption

Wear resistant UHMWPE pipe is self-lubrication and non-adhesive. Its coefficient of friction resistance is 0.009 while that of steel pipe is 0.013. With the same diameter, flow rate of UHMWPE pipe is larger than steel pipe, and with the same flow rate, UHMWPE pipe can save 25% energy.

4. Non-scaling

With roughness of 0. and smooth pipe inner wall, it can efficiently avoid scaling without acid cleaning, which save a lot of maintenance cost.

5. High Flexibility

With High Toughness and elongation of no less than 350%, the UHMWPE pipe and the connection site will not crack when crust settling which maximally ensures to supply water normally.

UHMWPE Raw Material Properties

PropertyRaw Material Values OnlyPHYSICAL PROPERTIESRaw MaterialUHMWPEDensity (kg/m3)≥ 930Water Absorption 24hrs(%)

Advantage of UHMWPE mining pipe in mining and metallurgy:

Coke, mining powder, pulp and slag from mining and metallurgy is quite abrasive to pipelines. Traditional steel pipe can only use for 6 or 12 months for transmission of above media and need to turn 90 degrees every half year. Meantime, UHMWPE pipe has extraordinary wear resistance which greatly reduces damage of pipes from abrasion and its working life is more than 4 times that of traditional steel pipe. With good impact resistance and high flexibility, UHMWPE pipe can withstand impact from external force and diastrophism. Wear resistant UHMWPE pipe is better alternative as transmission pipe for mining and metallurgy.

Specifications of UHMWPE mining pipe:

I.D
mmWALL THICKNESS mm0.6Mpa0.8 Mpa1.0 Mpa1.25 Mpa1.6 Mpa2.0 Mpa150———.410.612.915.719.924..712..523.429.—————————————————————

Custom Sizes available, where moulds already exist from 20-mm OD, up to 65 WT. Product can be manufactured in any colour, and to all conformance requirements.

UHMW Polystone:

Reduced coefficient of friction

Exceptional abrasion resistance

High-impact strength (will certainly not damage or ruin).

Chemical resistance.

FDA and also USDA accepted.

Broad temperature level variety (-450 ° to + 180 ° F

). Little or no moisture absorption.

Noise resistance.

Easy to device.

UHMW Polyethylene stands for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene which has outstanding abrasion and also influence resistance. It will certainly last longer than steel, nylons and also other engineering plastics under continuous wear applications. Usual uses include marine dock building, bed linings as well as fenders for autos and components for broadband equipment. UHMW Polyethylene is offered in virgin and also recycled; virgin UHMW polyethylene is FDA certified and can be utilized in food applications while recycled UHMW polyethylene is not FDA certified and typically utilized in industrial setups. Call Acme Plastics for more information regarding UHMW Tubes.

What are the Advantages of UHMWPE Pipe Over Ordinary Plastic Pipes?

As a High Flexibility UHMWPE Pipe Suppliers, share with you. UHMWPE pipes are thermoplastic engineering plastics with an average molecular weight greater than 2.5 million polymerized by ethylene and butadiene monomers under the action of a catalyst. There is a big difference between ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene pipes and ordinary plastic pipes. The comprehensive performance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene pipes is better than ordinary plastic pipes and is used as wear-resistant pipes.

UHMWPE Dredging Pipe

UHMWPE Pipe's high molecular weight and highly entangled segment molecular structure gives it excellent mechanical properties and super anti-sliding friction, and its chemical stability is also excellent, except for slight corrosion of certain strong acids under high temperature conditions , Are not subject to the corrosion of general lye and acid. Scientific research results show that the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene pipe has an anti-aging life of more than 50 years under natural light. Even if it is operated in the cold condition of minus 269°C, its wear resistance and impact resistance are basically unchanged, energy saving, environmental protection, and economic and efficient The characteristics are obvious.

Ordinary traditional plastic pipes have some defects, such as easy aging, no wear resistance, no impact resistance, etc., and now with the development of technology, the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene pipe materials can be applied to the following areas: can be used as a belt Conveyor skirt, coal bunker lining, spiral transmission equipment protective edge and lining, coal chute lining, tumbling roller sleeve, stern tube bearing, etc. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene pipe not only has wear resistance 4 times to 7 times that of steel pipe, but also 10 times that of ordinary polyethylene and polypropylene, and under cold conditions of minus 269℃, wear resistance and impact resistance remain unchanged .

The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene pipe has extremely high impact resistance. Among the existing engineering plastics, this product has the highest impact toughness value. Many materials will crack, break, break or fatigue due to surface stress during severe or repeated explosions. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene pipe is subjected to the cantilever beam impact test according to the GB standard to achieve no damage.

UHMWPE pipes are resistant to aggressive chemical substances. Except for the slight corrosion of certain strong acids at high temperatures, they are not corroded in other alkaline and acid solutions. It can be used in concentrated hydrochloric acid with a concentration of less than 80%, and its performance is quite stable in sulfuric acid with a concentration of less than 75% and nitric acid with a concentration of less than 20%.

Our company also has UHMWPE Dredging Pipe for sale, please contact us.

Want more information on UHMWPE Pipe Manufacturer? Feel free to contact us.