polyethylene

Examples of polyethylene in the following topics:

• Writing Formulas for Polymeric Macromolecules

  • For polyethylene, arguably the simplest polymer, this is demonstrated by the following equation.
  • Here ethylene (ethene) is the monomer, and the corresponding linear polymer is called high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
  • This polymer is called polyethylene rather than polymethylene, (-CH2-)n, because ethylene is a stable compound (methylene is not), and it also serves as the synthetic precursor of the polymer.
  • Many polymeric materials having chain-like structures similar to polyethylene are known.

• Types of Synthetic Organic Polymers

  • The common PET bottles are made of a synthetic polymer, polyethylene terephthalate.
  • Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) polymers are among the most common types of synthetic organic polymers, which are often found in households.
  • High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene high-density (PEHD) is a polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum.
  • Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is the third-most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene.

• Conductors and Insulators

  • This wire consists of a core of copper (a conductor) and a coating of polyethylene (an insulator).
  • The copper allows current to flow through the wire, while the polyethylene ensures that the current does not escape.

• Chemical Manufacturing

  • Polymers and plastics, especially polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene and polycarbonate comprise about 80% of the industry's output worldwide.
  • The largest-volume polymer product, polyethylene (PE), is used mainly in packaging films and other markets such as milk bottles, containers, and pipe.
  • The top 11 of the 100 chemicals in 2000 were sulfuric acid (44 million tons), nitrogen (34), ethylene (28), oxygen (27), lime (22), ammonia (17), propylene (16), polyethylene (15), chlorine (13), phosphoric acid (13) and diammonium phosphates (12).

• Ziegler-Natta Catalytic Polymerization

  • Their findings permitted, for the first time, the synthesis of unbranched, high molecular weight polyethylene (HDPE), laboratory synthesis of natural rubber from isoprene, and configurational control of polymers from terminal alkenes like propene (e.g. pure isotactic and syndiotactic polymers).

• The complexities of recycling

  • Some plastics, such as those made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), can be recycled several times.
  • Type one plastics, polyethylene teraphthalate (PET or PETE), are clear and tough and resistant to heat.
  • Type two plastics are stiff and tough and are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
  • Category four plastics, low-density polyethylenes (LDPE), are used to make garbage bags, dry-cleaning bags, shopping bags, squeezable bottles, food storage containers and flexible lids.

• Arthroplasty

  • The plastic (actually ultra high-molecular-weight polyethylene) can also be altered in ways that may improve wear characteristics.

• Waxes

  • Synthetic waxes may also be obtained from polyethylene.

• The Age of Plastics

  • The development of materials that we now call plastics began with rayon in 1891, continuing with Bakelite in 1907, polyethylene in 1933, Nylon and Teflon in 1938, polypropylene in 1954, Kevlar in 1965, and is continuing.

• Addition Reactions

  • Polymerization of alkenes is an economically important reaction that yields polymers of high industrial value, such as the plastics polyethylene and polypropylene.