Ropes based on high molecular weight polyethylene are known in the art and have been described for numerous purposes. US 2010/0101833 describes outer woven cover of tapes of high, and preferably ultra high, molecular weight polyethylene to increase the abrasion resistance of organic fiber based ropes and cords. The cord is generally made of a plurality of fibres or tapes, preferably made of a plurality of parallel, braided, twisted or woven fibres or tapes. The cord may comprise fibers and/or tapes made of at least one polymer selected from ultra ^¬ high molecular weight polyethylene, polyethylene,

polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, aromatic polyamide and aromatic copolyester. Some of the rope applications described include strong low-elongation ropes and shock absorbing ropes for rescue, rock climbing, for caving and arborists, floating ropes for marine uses and river uses and soft responsive rappel ropes . In some applications, e.g., when the rope is used as mooring line, the rope suffers from tension-tension fatigue. That is, the rope is subjected to cyclic increase and decrease of tension, and this has been found to detrimentally affect the properties of the rope, in particular for larger-diameter ropes. In other applications, e.g., where the rope is used over pulleys, the rope suffers from bending fatigue. That is, the properties of the rope deteriorate when the rope is subjected repeatedly to bending. A particular issue is that the strength of the rope under use conditions decreases as compared to the strength of the rope before it has been used.

This problem is solved by the present invention. The present invention pertains to a rope comprising

polyethylene elongate elements oriented in the length direction of the rope wherein for at least part of the elongate elements the distance of the element to a central longitudinal rope axis varies over the length of the rope, the polyethylene elongate elements comprising tapes of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, the tapes having a width to thickness ratio of at least 10 and a polymer solvent content below 0.05 wt . % . In particular, the distance of at least part of the elements to the central longitudinal rope axis varies over the length of the rope between a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the outside of the rope and a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the central longitudinal axis of the rope.

It has been found that the particular combination of a rope wherein the distance of the elements to the central

longitudinal rope axis varies over the length of the rope between a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the outside of the rope and a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the central longitudinal axis of the rope, wherein the rope comprises polyethylene tapes with the specified properties results in a rope with a high strength-strength ratio, that is, a high ratio between the strength of the rope under use

conditions and the strength of the rope before it has been used. The rope according to the invention also has a high strength under use conditions, as will be defined further on.

As indicated above, it is a feature of the present invention that for at least part of the elongate elements the distance of the element to a central longitudinal rope axis varies over the length of the rope between a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the outside of the rope and a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the central longitudinal axis of the rope. In one embodiment, at least 70% of the elements meet the requirement that the distance of the element to a central longitudinal rope axis varies over the length of the rope between a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the outside of the rope and a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the central longitudinal axis of the rope, more in particular at least 80%, still more in particular at least 90%. The best effects will be obtained when as many elements as possible meet this requirement.

In one embodiment, the distance of at least part of the

elements to the central longitudinal rope axis varies over the length of the rope between a longitudinal line which is at most 20% from the outside of the rope, more in particular at most 10% from the outside of the rope, and a longitudinal line which is at most 30% from the central longitudinal axis of the rope, in particular at most 20% from the central longitudinal axis of the rope, more in particular at most 10% from the central longitudinal axis of the rope.

In one embodiment, at least part of the elongated elements meander from locations nearer the central longitudinal axis of the rope to locations nearer the outside of the rope.

In one embodiment the distance variation of at least part of the elements is a repeating oscillation, wherein the ratio between the wavelength of the oscillation and the diameter of the rope is at most 15. In one embodiment, the ratio between the wavelength of the oscillation and the diameter of the rope is at most 12, more in particular at most 10.

The wavelength of the oscillation is defined as the distance, measured in the direction of propagation of a wave, between two successive points in the wave that are characterized by the same phase of oscillation. In one embodiment, at least part of the tapes in the rope according to the invention show a helix angle of more than 10°, in particular more than 14°, still more in particular at least 16°. In one embodiment, at least 70% of the tapes show a helix angle in the ranges indicated above, more in particular at least 80%, still more in particular at least 90%.

The rope according to the invention has a high strength- strength ratio, which is defined as the ratio between the strength under use conditions and the strength of the rope before it has been used (fresh strength) . The strength-strength ratio generally is at least 50%, preferably at least 70 ~6 , in particular at least 80%. The rope according to the invention has a high strength under use conditions. The strength under use conditions is defined as the strength that is obtained when the rope is subjected repeatedly to a tension cycle and then immediately subjected to a tensile test. The test method involved an immediate ramp up of the load after the cyclic loading has stopped. The time of the switch from the cyclic loading program to cable failure after the load ramp up should be less then 1/10 of the time constant of cooling. This time constant can be calculated on the basis of material properties or can be measured in a preceding experiment by logging the rope centre temperature after stopping the cyclic loading.

In one embodiment the tensile strength under use conditions of the rope according to the invention is at least 0.7 GPa, in particular at least 1.0 GPa, more in particular at least 1.2 GPa, in particular at least 1.5 GPa. Depending on the strength of the tapes and the strength-strength ratio, the strength under use conditions may be even higher, more in particular at least 1.8 GPa, even more in particular at least 2.0 GPa, still more in particular at least 2.2 GPa, Tensile strength under use condition is determined as described above.

The rope according to the invention has a high fresh strength, which is the strength of the rope before it has been subjected to any kind of tension, whether under use conditions or under test conditions. More in particular, the rope according to the invention generally has a fresh tensile strength of at least 1.2 GPa, in particular at least 1.5 GPa, more in particular at least 1.8 GPa, even more in particular at least 2.0 GPa, still more in particular at least 2.2 GPa. Depending on the strength of the tapes, the fresh strength may be even higher, e.g., at least 3.0 GPa.. Tensile strength is determined in accordance with Cordage Institute International Standard CI1500. The diameter of the rope may vary depending on the intended use of the rope. It has been found that the present invention is of particular interest for ropes with a diameter of at least 25 mm, in particular at least 30 mm, more in particular at least 40 mm, even more in particular at least 50 mm, still more in particular at least 60 mm, or even at least 70 mm. In some embodiments, the diameter may be at least 100 mm. The rope diameter will generally not be above 500 mm.

Depending on the configuration of the rope, the cross-section may be circular or non-circular. This may be defined by way of the aspect ratio, which is the ratio between the longest and the shortest diameter of the cross-section of the rope. In one embodiment the aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 1.2, indicating a circular rope. In another embodiment the aspect ratio is above 1.2, indicating a non-circular rope. In one embodiment, the aspect ratio is in the range of above 1.2 to 4, more in particular above 1.2 to 3. A non-circular rope may be advantageous in bend over sheave applications. For a non- circular rope the word diameter as used in the present specification is intended to refer to the effective diameter, which is the diameter of a rope with a circular cross-section with the same mass per length as the non-circular rope at issue .

In one embodiment the rope according to the invention has a modulus of at least 100 N/tex, in particular at least 120 N/tex, more in particular at least 140 N/tex, at least 180 N/tex, or even at least 200 N/tex. The modulus is determined in accordance with Cordage Institute International Standard

CI1500. The high modulus of the rope according to the invention makes it particularly suitable for use in applications where the rope is used under tension, e.g., in rigging, in lifting slings, and in guy lines. In one embodiment, the rope according to the invention has a modulus of at least 100 GPa, in

particular at least 120 GPa, more in particular at least 140 GPa, at least 180 GPa, or even at least 200 GPa.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the higher modulus values are combined with the higher strength- strength rations and/or the higher values for the strength under use conditions, as discussed above.

In one embodiment, the rope according to the invention shows a high performance in the Cyclic Bend Over Sheave (CBOS) test. The CBOS test is a test in which the lifetime of the rope is evaluated under dynamic loading. The rope is pulled back and forth over a sheave under tension. De sheave is characterized by its diameter relative to the diameter of the rope. This parameter is called D/d ratio with common values of 20 - 30. The tension in the cable can be in the range of 15 - 30 % of the breaking strength. The frequency of cycling can be chosen to simulate the actual application. The test result is the number of cycles to failure of the rope. In one embodiment, the rope according to the invention shows an increase in cycles to failure in the CBOS test of at least 2, in particular at least 5, more in particular at least 7 as compared to a rope with an otherwise comparable rope with a conventional structure, i.e., a rope wherein the distance variation of at least part of the elements is a repeating oscillation, wherein the ratio between the wavelength of the oscillation and the diameter of the rope is more than 18. In one embodiment, the strength in use of the rope increases by at least 10%, in particular at least 15%, more in particular at least 20% at an initial loading level of 25.

The effect of the present invention will be particularly pronounced under stringent conditions, comprising one or more of a D/d below 30, a load >20% of the (fresh) breaking

strength, fast cycling, testing under dry conditions, an a large diameter, e.g., of at least 30 mm, or larger, as

indicated in the paragraph above.

It is a particular advantage of the rope according to the invention that it can be relatively free from non-polymer components. As is known in the art, fibers and filaments are essentially always treated with a surface compound, in

particular to improve the electrostatic and processing

properties of the fibers. More specifically, if fibers are not provided with this so-called finish individual fibers in a bundle will repulse each other through electrostatic

interaction, resulting in expansion of the bundle (a phenomenon called ballooning) . However, the presence of finishing

components may be disadvantageous, e.g., from an environmental point of view. In particular, the possibility of leaching of hydrophilic finish compounds from a rope in an aqueous

environment is not desired. It has been found that the tapes as used in the present rope do not require the presence of finish compounds to counter electrostatic effects, and therefore they make it possible to prepare a rope not suffering from leaching of this type of component.

An additional advantage in this respect is that the tapes used in the rope according to the invention are free from polymer solvent, due to their manufacturing method, as will be

described in more detail below. More in particular, the tapes generally have a polymer solvent content of less than 0.05 wt.%, in particular less than 0.025 wt.%, more in particular less than 0.01 wt.%. In this, the material may be distinguished from solvent-derived polymer fibers, which show a higher solvent content, and which also do not meet various other requirements of the present invention, int. al . , the ratio between width and thickness.

Thus, due to the use of the present tapes, if so desired, the rope according to the invention may have a content of non- polyethylene low-molecular weight components which is below 1 wt.%, in particular below 0.5 wt.%, more in particular below 0.25 wt.%, even more in particular below 0.1 wt.%. Incidentally, while the presence of a finish to improve the electrostatic and processing properties of the tape is not required, as indicated above, it is possible, if so desired, to provide a finish to the tape to provide the rope with specific properties .

In fact, it has been found that the rope according to the invention allows the use of a broad range of finishes, in particular the use of uncrosslinked finishes. WO2010/015485 describes the provision of a rope comprising a fiber coated with crosslinked silicone. This is considered required, because the silicone oil conventionally used is considered to be

"squeezed out" of the rope when the rope is put under tension. It has been found that when the specific tapes are used in the construction according to the invention, the "squeezing out" effect does not occur, or does not occur to an unacceptable extent. Therefore, in one embodiment, in the rope according to the invention at least part of the tapes are coated with an uncrosslinked finish, in particular a liquid silicone finish. In this context it is noted that the use of crosslinked

finishes may be complicated in polyethylene ropes, because the crosslinking temperature has to be selected so that it is below the melting temperature of the polyethylene.

The rope according to the invention comprises tapes of ultra- high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) , the tapes having a width to thickness ratio of at least 10.

In general, at least 10 wt . % of the elongate elements will be UHMWPE tapes, in particular at least 40 wt . ~6 , more in

particular at least 60 wt.%, still more in particular at least 80 wt.%, even more in particular at least 90 wt.%, still more in particular at least 95 wt.%.

The rope may be manufactured in accordance with the methods known in the art for manufacturing structured ropes. Examples of suitable manufacturing methods include braiding, twisting, stranding, bunching, and combinations thereof

It is within the scope of the skilled person to manufacture ropes meeting the requirements stipulated above as to, e.g., oscillation, helix angle, distance variation based on the guidelines given above.

It should be noted that fusing the tapes together in whole or in part is to be avoided, as this is believed to detrimentally affect the properties of the rope. If so desired, the rope according to the invention may be surrounded by a sleeve, wrap, tape bonding, or polymer cover, e.g., to protect the rope from environmental conditions or to provide mechanical protection to the rope. For the properties mentioned above, the sleeve, wrap, or any other cover should not be taken into account.

In one embodiment, the rope is provided with a wrap based on polyethylene tapes, in particular polyethylene tapes with a width of at least 2 mm, in particular at least 5 mm, more in particular at least 10 mm. Where the rope is thicker, it may be attractive to use tapes with a larger width, e.g., at least 25 mm. The maximum width of the tape used in the wrap will depend on the thickness of the rope, and should be selected such that the tape does not detrimentally affect the rope properties. The tape used in the wrap preferably has one or more of the properties of the tapes building up the rope as specified elsewhere, in particular as regards strength, modulus, tape thickness, and composition, int. al as regards molecular weight and solvent content. More specifically, in one embodiment the polyethylene tapes used in the wrap are ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene tapes with a modulus of at least 100 N/tex and a strength of at least 1.2 GPa. Preferably, the tapes have a tensile strength of at least 1.5 GPa, more in particular at least 1.8 GPa, even more in particular at least 2.0 GPa, still more in particular at least 2.5 GPa, more in particular at least 3.0 GPa, still more in particular at least 4.0 GPa.

Preferably the tapes have a modulus of at least 120 N/tex, more in particular at least 140 N/tex, at least 180 N/tex, or even at least 200 N/tex. For other tape properties reference is made to what is stated elsewhere in this specification.

The use of a wrap of polyethylene tape has a number of specific advantages. In the first place, it allows the manufacture of an all polyethylene rope, which makes it easy to recycle. Further, due to the PE-only composition of the tape, no leaching

products are added to the rope. Further, as the tapes

themselves can have high modulus and high strength they will contribute to the rope properties, e.g., the torsional stiffness of the rope may be strongly increased.

The rope according to the invention may be used in numerous applications.

In one embodiment the rope is used in industrial applications, in particular in industrial applications where the rope suffers from dynamic stress. Examples of such applications are mooring lines, tow lines, winch lines, in offshore oil and gas

applications, and lifting and installation applications.

The tapes

The polyethylene tapes used in the rope of the present

invention generally have a width of at least 0.5 mm, in

particular at least 1 mm, more in particular at least 1.5 mm. The tape width will depend on the thickness of the rope to be manufactured. If the diameter of the rope is relatively low, the tape should not be too wide. If the diameter of the rope is high, wider tapes may be selected. As a maximum, a value of 50 mm may be mentioned.

The tapes generally gave a thickness of at most 200 microns, in particular at most 150 microns, more in particular at most 100 microns. Generally, the tape thickness is at least 5 microns, in particular at least 10 microns. A thickness range of 20 to 80 microns may be preferred.

The ratio between the width and the thickness of the tapes in the rope of the present invention is at least 10, preferably, at least 20. The ratio will also depend upon the tape width, which in turn will depend upon the desired rope diameter as indicated above. In one embodiment, the width to thickness ratio is in the range of 10-200, more in particular in the range of 30-100. The linear density of the tapes used in the rope of the present invention may, e.g., be in the range of 500-25000 dtex. In one embodiment, it may be in the range of 800-2000 dtex. A value in this range may be attractive because it is of the same order as filament bundles which are conventionally used.

The tapes used in the present invention generally have a modulus, determined in accordance with ASTM D7744, of at least 100 GPa, in particular at least 120 GPa, more in particular at least 140 GPa, or even at least 180 GPa.

The tapes used in the rope according to the invention generally have a tensile strength of at least 1.2 GPa, in particular at least 1.5 GPa, more in particular at least 1.8 GPa, even more in particular at least 2.0 GPa, still more in particular at least 2.5 GPa, more in particular at least 3.0 GPa, still more in particular at least 4.0 GPa. Tensile strength is determined in accordance with ASTM D7744. The higher the tensile strength of the tapes, the higher the tensile strength of the rope can be .

The tapes used in the rope according to the invention generally have a creep rate lower than 5*10 ^~5 %/s, more in particular lower than 5*10 ^~6 %/s or even more particular, lower than 1*10 ^~6 %/s. The lower the creep rate, the higher the loading capacity of the rope can be. A rope generally shows a higher creep than the tape due to constructional compacting of the rope during loading .

In one embodiment, the tapes used in the rope according to the invention have a 200/110 uniplanar orientation parameter Φ of at least 3. The 200/110 uniplanar orientation parameter Φ is defined as the ratio between the 200 and the 110 peak areas in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the tape sample as determined in reflection geometry. The 200/110 uniplanar orientation parameter gives information about the extent of orientation of the 200 and 110 crystal planes with respect to the tape surface. For a tape sample with a high 200/110

uniplanar orientation the 200 crystal planes are highly

oriented parallel to the tape surface. It has been found that a high uniplanar orientation is generally accompanied by a high tensile strength and high tensile energy to break. It may be preferred for the 200/110 uniplanar orientation parameter Φ to be at least 4, more in particular at least 5, or at least 7. Higher values, such as values of at least 10 or even at least 15 may be particularly preferred. The theoretical maximum value for this parameter is infinite if the peak area 110 equals zero. High values for the 200/110 uniplanar orientation

parameter are often accompanied by high values for the strength and the energy to break. The 200/110 uniplanar orientation parameter Φ may be determined as is described in

WO2010/007062, page 9, line 19, through page 11, line 17.

The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene used in the present invention has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at least 500 000 gram/mol in particular between 1*10 ⁶ gram/mole and 1*10 ⁸ gram/mol. In one embodiment, the polyethylene has a number average molecular weight (Mn) of at least 2.0*10 ⁵ g/mol. The Mn may be at least 5.0*10 ⁵ g/mol, more in particular at least 8.0*10 ⁵ g/mol, or even at least 1.0 million g/mol, or even at least 1.2 million gram/mol. The use of a polymer with a relatively high Mw has the advantage of a relatively high strength; the use of the polymer with a relatively high Mn has the advantage that it contains a relatively low amount of low- molecular weight polyethylene, and as it is believed that the properties of the tape derived from the high molecular weight molecules the presence of fewer low-molecular weight molecules will lead to a tape with better properties. The use of a polymer with a relatively high Mw in combination with a

relatively high Mn may be particularly preferred. The Mn and Mw may be determined as is described in

WO2010/079172. Reference may also be made to S. Talebi et al . in Macromolecules 2010, Vol. 43, pages 2780-2788. In one embodiment, the tapes are based on disentangled PE, e.g., as described in WO 2009/007045, and WO2010/079172.

In one embodiment, the UHMWPE has a strain hardening slope of below 0.10 N/mm at 135°C. Preferably, it also has a strain hardening slope of below 0.12 N/mm at 125°C. The strain

hardening slope is determined by subjecting compressed polymer to a drawing step under specific conditions.

The test is carried out as follows: polymer powder is subjected to compaction at a pressure of 200 bar, at 130°C, for 30 minutes to form tensile bars with a thickness of 1 mm, a width of 5 mm and a length of 15 mm. The bars are subjected to drawing at a tensile speed of 100 mm/min at a temperature of 125°C or 135°C. The drawing temperature is chosen such that no melting of the polymer occurs, as can be checked by DSC in simple heating mode. The bar is drawn from 10 mm to 400 mm. For the tensile test a force cell of 100N is used. The force cell measures force required for the elongation of the sample at the fixed temperature. The force/elongation curve shows a first maximum, which is also known as the yield point. The strain hardening slope is defined as the steepest positive slope in the force/elongation curve after the yield point.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the polymer has a strain hardening slope, determined at 135 °C, of below 0.10 N/mm, in particular below 0.06 N/mm, more in particular below 0.03 N/mm. In another embodiment, the polymer has a strain hardening slope, determined at 125 °C, of below 0.12 N/mm, in particular below 0.08 N/mm, more in particular below 0.03 N/mm. In a preferred embodiment, the polymer meets the stipulated requirements both at 125 °C and at 135 °C. A low strain hardening slope means that the material has high drawability at low stress. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this means in turn that the polymer chains in the solid states contain few entanglements, and that this will enable the manufacture of tapes with good properties In other words, a strain hardening slope within this range means that there is little entanglement between the polymer chains. In the present specification, a polyethylene with a strain hardening slope as specified above will therefore also be indicated as a disentangled polyethylene. In one embodiment of the present invention, a polyethylene is selected which can be compressed below its equilibrium melting temperature of 142°C, more in particular within the temperature range of 100- 138°C, wherein the thus-obtained film can be drawn below the equilibrium meting temperature by more than 15 times its initial length.

It is preferred for the polyethylene used in the rope according to the invention to have an elastic shear modulus G ^N °

determined directly after melting at 160°C of at most 1.4 MPa, in particular 1.0 MPa, more in particular at most 0.9 MPa, still more in particular at most 0.8 MPa, more in particular at most 0.7 MPa. The wording "directly after melting" means that the elastic shear modulus is determined as soon as the polymer has melted, in particular within 15 seconds after the polymer has melted. For this polymer melt G ^N ° typically increases from 0.6 to 2.0 MPa in one, two, or more hours, depending on the molar mass of the polymer. G _N ° is the elastic shear modulus in the rubbery plateau region. It is related to the average molecular weight between entanglements Me, which in turn is inversely proportional to the entanglement density. In a thermodynamically stable melt having a homogeneous distribution of entanglements, Me can be calculated from G _N ° via the formula G _N = g _N pRT /M _e , where g _N is a numerical factor set at 1, p is the density in g/cm3, R is the gas constant and T is the absolute temperature in K. A low elastic shear modulus directly after melting stands for long stretches of polymer between entanglements, and thus for a low degree of entanglement. The adopted method for the investigation on changes in with the entanglements formation is the same as described in

publications (Rastogi, S., Lippits, D., Peters, G., Graf, R., Yefeng, Y. and Spiess, H., ''Heterogeneity in Polymer Melts from Melting of Polymer Crystals'", Nature Materials, 4(8), 1st August 2005, 635-641 and PhD thesis Lippits, D.R., "Controlling the melting kinetics of polymers; a route to a new melt state", Eindhoven University of Technology, dated 6th March 2007, ISBN 978-90-386-0895-2) .

In one embodiment the disentangled UHMWPE has a DSC

crystallinity of at least 74%, more in particular at least 80%. In one embodiment, the UHMWPE has a DSC crystallinity of at least 85%, more in particular at least 90%. DSC crystallinity may be determined as described in WO2010/007062, paragraph bridging pages 13 and 14.

In one embodiment, the disentangled UHMWPE has a bulk density which is significantly lower than the bulk density of

conventional UWMWPEs. More in particular, the UHMWPE

manufactured using the catalyst system of the present invention may have a packing density below 0.25 g/cm ³ , in particular below 0.18 g/cm ³ , still more in particular below 0.13 g/cm ³ . The packing density may be determined in accordance with ASTM- D1895. A fair approximation of this value can be obtained as follows. A sample of UHMWPE powder as synthesised is poured into a measuring beaker of exact 100 ml. After scraping away the surplus of material, the weight of the content of the beaker is determined and the packing density is calculated. The polymer is provided in particulate form, for example in the form of a powder, or in any other suitable particulate form. Suitable particles have a particle size of up to 5000 micron, preferably up to 2000 micron, more in particular up to 1000 micron. The particles preferably have a particle size of at least 1 micron, more in particular at least 10 micron. The particle size may be determined as specified on page 15, lines 6-12 of WO2010/079172. The polyethylene can be a homopolymer of ethylene or a

copolymer of ethylene with a co-monomer which is another alpha- olefin or a cyclic olefin both with generally between 3 and 20 carbon atoms. Examples include propene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1- hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, cyclohexene, etc. The use of dienes with up to 20 carbon atoms is also possible, e.g., butadiene or 1-4 hexadiene. The amount of (non-ethylene) alpha- olefin in the ethylene homopolymer or copolymer used in the process according to the invention preferably is at most 10 mole%, preferably at most 5 mole%, more preferably at most 1 mole%. If a (non-ethylene) alpha-olefin is used, it is

generally present in an amount of at least 0.001 mole~6 , in particular at least 0.01 mole%, still more in particular at least 0.1 mole%. Disentangled UHMWPE may be manufactured via processes known in the art, e.g., as described in WO2010/139720.

Tape manufacture The tapes used in the ropes according to the invention may be manufactured through a solid state film manufacturing process comprising the steps of subjecting a starting ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene to a compacting step and a stretching step under such conditions that at no point during the processing of the polymer its temperature is raised to a value above its melting point.

The compacting step is carried out to integrate the polymer particles into a single object, e.g., in the form of a mother sheet. The stretching step is carried out to provide

orientation to the polymer and manufacture the final product. The two steps are carried out at a direction perpendicular to each other. These elements may be combined in a single step, or carried out in different steps, each step performing one or more of the compacting and stretching elements. For example, in one embodiment of the process according to the invention, the process comprises the steps of compacting the polymer powder to form a mothersheet, rolling the plate to form rolled

mothersheet and subjecting the rolled mothersheet to a

stretching step to form a polymer film.

Where appropriate, broader tapes may be slit or split into narrower tapes at any point in time during the processing step, more in particular after stretching, between intermediate stretching steps, and before stretching. The slitting or splitting may be carried out by means known in the art, e.g., using knives, or as described in WO 2010/003971.

Where the polyethylene is disentangled polyethylene, the solid state processing thereof may be carried out as is described in WO 2009/007045 or WO2010/079172.

In one embodiment, the starting polyethylene may be a UHMWPE with a weight average molecular weight of at least 500 000 gram/mole, an elastic shear modulus G<N0> , determined directly after melting at 160<a>C of at most 1.4 MPa, in particular of at most 0.9 MPa, and a Mw/Mn ratio of at most 6