Polyethylene is a widely used thermoplastic in foam form for packaging, insulation, and cushioning. It is produced through ethylene polymerization and has different densities and properties. It is buoyant, non-abrasive, heat-insulating, and approved for food use. It is used in various products and is tear-resistant, impervious to bacteria and mold, and recyclable.
Polyethylene is a class of thermoplastics that is virtually ubiquitous in consumer products. In its foam form, polyethylene is used in packaging, vibration damping and insulation, as a buoyancy barrier or component, or as a cushioning material. It is most frequently seen as a packing material.
Sixty million tons of polyethylene are produced worldwide each year, which is even more than it seems when you consider its low density. In the UK, polyethylene is known as polyethylene. Worldwide, the material is sometimes abbreviated to PE.
Polyethylene is produced through the polymerization of ethylene. Like other polymers, polyethylene is made up of huge ethylene chains and has a molecular weight in the millions. These chains join together through weak Van der Waals forces, which means that the material can be torn out of human hands. Polyethylene with different densities or material properties are created using different catalysts during the polymerization process. For example, HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is produced with the catalyst chromium, which causes the molecular chains to branch less and therefore have a higher density.
Polyethylene is buoyant, making it popular for marine uses. Most types of polyethylene are non-abrasive; serve as a heat insulator; they are inert to water, grease and solvents at typical temperatures; they are CFC-free and ozone-friendly, recyclable, odorless and very light. Many types of polyethylene are approved for use in the food industry.
Found in all types of packaging, polyethylene is used to wrap furniture, computer components, electronics, sporting goods, plants, frozen foods, clothing, bowling balls, signs, metal products, and more. It comes in forms designed to minimize static electricity or maximize thermal insulation, among dozens of other variations. The material is impervious to bacteria and mold and is tear resistant. Polyethylene is among the cheapest artificially manufactured materials, but not as cheap as most raw materials, as the polymerization process consumes energy. Also, distribution costs are normal because polyethylene can’t be compressed much for shipping.
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