A cord comprises a braided sheath of strands having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central hollow portion defined by the inner surface and having a volume and a core within the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath, such that when the cord is in a relaxed state the tubular braided sheath has a cylindrical shape and a relaxed volume of the central hollow portion wherein the core does not fill the relaxed volume of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath; when the cord is in a longitudinal tensioned state, the tubular braided sheath elongates under the longitudinal tension such that a tensioned volume of at least a part of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath is less than the relaxed volume; and the inner surface of the tubular braided sheath of tensioned volume contacts and cinches a surface of the core.

A cord comprises a braided sheath of strands having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central hollow portion defined by the inner surface and having a volume and a core within the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath, such that when the cord is in a relaxed state the tubular braided sheath has a cylindrical shape and a relaxed volume of the central hollow portion wherein the core does not fill the relaxed volume of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath; when the cord is in a longitudinal tensioned state, the tubular braided sheath elongates under the longitudinal tension such that a tensioned volume of at least a part of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath is less than the relaxed volume; and the inner surface of the tubular braided sheath of tensioned volume contacts and cinches a surface of the core.

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.solid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid=DR.sub.sp*DR.sub.ag of at least 150, wherein DR.sub.sp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DR.sub.ag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DR.sub.sp being greater than 1 and DR.sub.ag at least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.solid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid=DR.sub.sp*DR.sub.ag of at least 150, wherein DR.sub.sp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DR.sub.ag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DR.sub.sp being greater than 1 and DR.sub.ag at least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

The invention concerns the field of marine ropes, and more specifically a marine rope (1) comprising a plurality of cores (2; 2a, 2b), an individual coating (3) around each core (2; 2a, 2b), and a permeable protective sheath (4) around the plurality of cores (2; 2a, 2b). Each core (2; 2a, 2b) comprises a fiber strand or braid and each individual coating (3) is watertight and has a melting temperature lower than that of the corresponding core and an elongation at break greater than that of the corresponding core.

The invention concerns the field of marine ropes, and more specifically a marine rope (1) comprising a plurality of cores (2; 2a, 2b), an individual coating (3) around each core (2; 2a, 2b), and a permeable protective sheath (4) around the plurality of cores (2; 2a, 2b). Each core (2; 2a, 2b) comprises a fiber strand or braid and each individual coating (3) is watertight and has a melting temperature lower than that of the corresponding core and an elongation at break greater than that of the corresponding core.

A longitudinal element produced with a core made of high-strength fibers and at least one metal casing, preferably steel, surrounding this core. In this way, there is the significant advantage that these high-strength fibers, which are very lightweight in relation to their strength, are protected in a number of ways, namely against humidity, moisture, UV light and other environmental influences. In addition, the metal casing provides the fibers with protection against transverse loads. In this way, all the high-strength properties of the traction or suspension means are maintained over a sustained period.

A longitudinal element produced with a core made of high-strength fibers and at least one metal casing, preferably steel, surrounding this core. In this way, there is the significant advantage that these high-strength fibers, which are very lightweight in relation to their strength, are protected in a number of ways, namely against humidity, moisture, UV light and other environmental influences. In addition, the metal casing provides the fibers with protection against transverse loads. In this way, all the high-strength properties of the traction or suspension means are maintained over a sustained period.

Disclosed is a method for producing a high strength synthetic strength member containing rope and a resultant rope, comprising multiple layers of twisted and braided yarns, wherein individual sheaths enclosing individual strands are of a material such as HMPE, PTFE or UHMWPE with a lower decomposition temperature than the material of said strands being aramid, the method comprising subjecting parts of the rope to heat and tension thereby pre-stretching and creating a non-uniform or non-round shape of said strands, further choosing a combination of braid and twist angles as well as braid compressive forces to accommodate specific strength and elongation relation between the individual rope layers.

Multifilament yarn containing n filaments are provided, wherein the filaments are obtained by spinning an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), said yarn having a tenacity (Ten) as expressed in cN/dtex of Ten(cN/dtex)=f×n.sup.−0.05×dpf.sup.−0.15, wherein Ten is at least 39 cN/dtex, n is at least 25, f is a factor of at least 58 and dpf is the dtex per filament.