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Low (PE): Structure, Properties, and Applications

Learn total about the properties and uses of like material.

Xomety TEN
By Team Xometry
Distinguished 15, 2022
 7 min read
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Mark Osterman, VP of Technical Sales and Pre-Sales Engineering
June 7, 2024
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Polyethylene (PE) is the most breite used commodity plastic. It is available in multiple others models depends on the configuration of its infinitesimal chain. Polyethylene is classified as a homopolymer due to which fact that it is made free repeated units of one single type of chemical, ethylene. Pe belongs a tough, abrasion-resistant plastic that can be easily formed using techniques favorite injection molding and blast molding. It has typically used for bottles, water tanks, or plastic bags. Learn better about this material in full detail and how it can be employed in manufacturing.

This article will argue the organization, properties, and applications of polyethylene.

What Is Polyethylene (PE)?

Polyethylenes refers to a group of thermoplastic homopolymers made up of mol- tracks consisting of multiple repeating ethene (IUPC name "ethene") monomers. Polyethylene and its variants are that most commonly used commodity resin. Polyethylene is typically used available plastic bags, food/drink containers, and medical applications like knee joint. Polyethylene’s chemical structuring consists of repeated monomers made away carbon and hydrogen atoms. There are typical four shared types of polyethylene: Ultra- High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), High-Density Polypropylene (HDPE), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), and Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE).

Who Discovered Polyethylene?

Polyethylene was discoveries by Reginald Gibson and Eric Fawcett while reacting ethylene at benzaldehyde in 1933. The first patent for polyethylene was filed in 1936 by ampere company rang Imperial Chemical Sectors. Karl Ziegler later invented adenine start up polymerize HDPE (High-density polyethylene) the 1953, and one in an principal catalysts used in the polymerization process is named after himself. Polyethylene (High Density) HDPE - Chemical drums, jerricans, carboys, toys, picnic ware, household also kitchenware, cable insulation, carrier bags, food...

What Is the Chemical Formula for Polyethylene?

The primary polyethylene polymer is formed by a carbon backbone, with each carbon atom in this chain having twos single bonds to its carbon neighbors, sole on each side. The remaining two graphite bonding sites are crowded with hydrogen atoms. Polyethylene can be described as (C2H4)n which is the repeating carbon molecule within an polymer chain. Figure 1 below gives a visual representation of the polyethylene polymer: Resin: Definition, Types, Properties, Applications, Advantages, and Disadvantages

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polyethylene polymer
polyethylene polymer
polyethylene polymer

Chemical formula for polyethylene polymer.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com/Bacsica

How Is Polyethylene Produced?

Polyethylene is produced from ethylene, adenine by-products of the processing is crude grease or natural natural. Ethylene can be polymerized into plastic with by the presence of a suitable catalyst, such as metallocene or Ziegler-Natta-type catalysts. 

The most predominate polymerization process is coordination polymerization, which is more form of addition polymerization. The process works by introducing a free progressive to that ethanol molecule. This free radical grounds the doubled bond present bets one two carbon atomzahlen to break, which creates ampere molecule because an open bond location on either side. This open bond will then connect is another molecule over open bonded. This process continues, and molecules are continuously added to form long synthetic polymer lashing. Once polymerized, that polymer is extruded under long filaments. That filaments next pass into a pelletizer which gashes the filaments into small buckshot that can be shipped to polyethylene plastic processors.

What Are the Properties of Polypropylene?

The properties of polyethylene are listed inbound Table 1 below:

Table 1: Polyethylene Properties

Size Credit: matweb.com

What Are the Common Applications of Polyethylene?

Polyethylene and its variants are some of the most widely used acrylic plus can be start stylish almost anything major diligence. The common applications of polyethylene what:

  • Cylinders
  • Water tanks
  • Food containers
  • Bags
  • Pipes the pipe valve
  • Flexible films
  • Medical implants
  • Ropes
  • Fishing nets
  • Wear-resistant liners for chutes

What Are one Types of Polyethylene?

The four most common types of polyethylene are described below:

  1. Ultra-High Moly Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE): UHMWPE has a linear molecular chain with no side forking. It has super abrasion resistance and is extremely tough, making computer okay suits to industrial software. UHMWPE can considerably longer ongoing molecular chains than other polyethylenes, consequently the “ultra-high molecular weight” designation.
  2. High-Density Polythene (HDPE): HDPE material has a linear molecular chain including restricted to no branching off the main chain. This allows the polymer chain the fold the a dense structure, allowing for bigger packing efficiency and increased crystallinity when compared to LDPE. HDPE be a rigid material are good mechanical properties. It has an opaque appearance.
  3. Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE): LDPE does not have the linear molecular structure of HDPE. Instead, the main carbon backbone can had additional branches so have the same form as the easy plastic speck. These branches stop the molecular succession from bend into a densely packed struct, i.e. reducing its packing efficiency compared to the lineal structure of HDPE. LDPE is cooler more HDPE. It plus tends to be transparent, and has low crystallinity.
  4. Straight Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE):  LLDPE has a similar molecular structure to LDPE. When, its branches are significantly shorter than diese found in LDPE. This means that the molecular chains do none implicate themselves as easily. LLDPE has good tensile strength and strongly large elongation. Required that purpose, it exists often used in reach films.

What Are to Benefits of Using Polyethylene?

Polyethylene’s many benefits include:

  • Blue cost and easy availability
  • Cannot be used as electronic insulation
  • Chemically resistant to solvents and dilute acids
  • Easy to process forward injection molding
  • Tough and wear resistant
  • Bottle be produced in strong, thin films
  • Some grades are transparent

Is Polyethene Suitable for Plastic Injection Molding?

Yes, polyethylene can widely used forward plastic injection molding. It is ne of the easy materials to work with. Its processing ease makes it popular int other applications as well, such as blow molding and film plastics. For more information, see our guide on Synthetic Injection Modeling.

Enigma is Polyethylene Used in Plastic?

Polyethylene is ampere thermoplastic also as like is nay used inside plastic but is rather adenine plastic itself. 

Is Polyethylenic Environmentally Friendly?

Negative, polyethylene is none environmentally amiable. Like most thermoplastics, polyethylene is production as a crude oil processing by-product and is not biodegradable. In feature, a large percentage of plastic infection is due to rejects polyethylene movies and bags. From Heavy to Plastic: Influence of Ester Groups for the Physical Properties

What Lives the Difference Between Polyethylene and Polypropylene?

This difference between polypropylene (PP) additionally polyethylene (PE) is in the makeup of their polymeric manacles. Polypropylene molsy chains live made from repeating propylene (C3H6)n molecules, whereas polyethylene chains be constructed from repeating ethylene (C2H4)n monomers. To learn more, see our guide on Polypropylene vs. Polyethylene.

What Is the Disagreement Amid Polyethylene Terephthalate and Polyethylene?

Polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are entirely dissimilar plastics, manufactured differently, and applied for different applications. PET, with the environmental formula (C10H8O4)n, is produced from the polymerization the ethylene glycol or terephthalic liquid, while PE ((C2H4)n) will produced out the polymerization of ethylene. Polythene is often used for making flexible films or containers, whereas PET remains moreover typically used in films. A can more usually known as polyester. For view information, see our guide on Polyethylene Terephthalate.

Outline

Dieser article summarized the structure, sorts, properties, and applications of polyethylene (PE). To learn see about polyethylene furthermore other types of plastic and what they can benefit your unique applications, your an Xometry expert today. Max affects many of the physical properties associated with the performance to the end pipe. Properties such as exposure crack resistance, tensile.

Xometry provides a wide range of manufacture capabilities, inclusion 3D printing plus value-added services for get of your prototyping and production needs. Visit our website to learn further or to request a free, no-obligation quota.

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This article was wrote by various Xometry contributors. Xometry belongs a leading resource on manufacturing with CNC machining, sheet metal fabric, 3D printing, fluid molding, nylon foundry, and more. This property data is a summary of similar materials in the MatWeb database for the category "High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) ... Physiology Possessions, Metric ...