Today, high tenacity ropes are made from synthetic or synthesized materials, being the most common polyamide, polyester, and polypropylene, followed by aramid and polyethylene.
In all of them, the different manufacturing processes have given them different characteristics: thus, polyester ropes tend to be more resistant but their buoyancy index is lower than polypropylene ropes, and aramid ropes have the melting point higher, to mention just a few differences.
In the following table we show a detailed comparison of the technical properties of the fibers with which we work at Folch Ropes.
Technical properties of high tenacity synthetic fibres
| Material | Polyamide | Polyester | Polypropylene Monofilament | Polypropylene Multifilament | Copolymer PET/PP | Polyethylene, high modulus |
Aramid |
| Trade names | Nylon®, Perlon® | Diolen®, Dacron®, Trevira® | Folch | Folch | Polysteel, Danline | Dyneema®, Spectra® | Technora®, Kevlar® |
| Tenacity gr/denier | 7 - 9 | 7 - 8,4 | 5 - 6 | 5 - 7 | 6 - 7 | 25 - 38 | 20 - 25 |
| Density | 1,14 | 1,38 | 0,91 | 0,91 | 0,91 | 0,97 | 1,39 |
| Melting point in ºC | 215ºC | 250 - 260ºC | 160 - 165ºC | 160 - 165ºC | 145ºC | 140ºC | 500ºC |
| Water absorption % | 1 - 7% | 0,5 - 2% | 0,01% | 0,5 - 1% | 0,01% | 0,01% | 2 - 5% |
| Knotted strength % | 60 - 65% | 55 - 60% | 55 - 65% | 55 - 65% | 55 - 65% | 35 - 50% | 30 - 40% |
| Elongation aat break % | 16 - 27% | 10 - 17% | 14 - 24% | 15 - 22% | 10 - 12% | 3 - 8% | 2 - 4% |
| Abrasion resistance | Excellent | Excellent | Weak | Weak | Weak | Good | Weak |
| UV resistance | Good | Excellent | Weak | Good | Weak | Regular without treatment | Weak |