THE UNIVERSITY of Bradford has helped to pioneer a way of making more sustainable plastic water pipes, as it continues to fight for a better environment.

The university, working in partnership with global materials company SABIC, has produced the lighter and stronger plastic pipes, which outperform standard plastic plumbing pipes in pressure tests, are much cheaper to transport and last longer.

SABIC aims to capture 20 per cent of the market with the new ‘biaxially oriented’ polyethylene and polypropylene pressure pipes.

Biaxially oriented pipes are created using plastic that has been drawn through a die.

Dr Fin Caton-Rose, who runs the research laboratory in the University’s globally-recognised Polymer IRC, said: “Biaxially oriented pipes are lighter and much stronger than traditional polyolefin pipes.

“They are easy to make, transport and they last longer – which all means that they are better for the environment.

“Most people will be familiar with the plastic yokes that were widely used to keep cans together on supermarket shelves.

“If you were to pull those apart with your hands, you will notice part of the plastic turns white. This indicates you have changed the properties of that part of the plastic.

“If you were to then try to pull that apart, you will find you cannot, because it is now much stiffer.

“Pulling plastic through a die has a similar effect, in that it forces the molecules in the plastic to realign, so they are all facing the same direction, which makes it much stronger.”

Dr Ajay Taraiya, from SABIC, added: “Our collaboration with the University of Bradford is crucial in terms of the scientific-based research they are able to conduct, in order to accelerate solutions for commercial products.

“We selected the University of Bradford based on our needs and their expertise. Scientists there have a wealth of knowledge in the solid-phase deformation of polymers, in addition to world-class research facilities, not to mention globally recognized academics and a successful track record of industrial collaboration.”

Professor Phil Coates, who invented the die-drawing process, said: “This is an exemplary collaboration between a major global company with its significant research and development, plus commercial capabilities and a world-class polymer research laboratory.

“It is genuinely a win-win collaboration and serves as an example of how the kind of research universities do can have a direct impact on helping industry innovate.”