High Density Polyethylene Plastic Properties

High density polyethylene hdpe or polyethylene high density pehd is a thermoplastic polymer produced from the monomer ethylene it is sometimes called alkathene or polythene when used for hdpe pipes.

High density polyethylene plastic properties. Polyethylene high density hdpe polyethylene polythene is one of the world s most popular plastics. The lack of branches in its structure allows the polymer chains to pack closely together resulting in a dense highly crystalline material of high strength and moderate stiffness. Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene or uhmwpe has a molecular weight about 10 times higher usually between 3 5 and 7 5 million amu than high density polyethylene hdpe resins. High density polyethylene hdpe is manufactured at low temperatures and pressures using ziegler natta and metallocene catalysts or activated chromium oxide known as a phillips catalyst.

The high molecular weight makes it a very tough material but results in less efficient packing of the chains into the crystal structure as evidenced by densities of less than high density polyethylene for example 0 930 0 935 g cm 3. It is a thermoplastic with a very high strength to density ratio. Hdpe has a low degree of branching and thus stronger intermolecular forces and tensile strength. High density polyethylene often abbreviated to hdpe is a polymer whose monomer is ethylene.

Hdpe can be produced by chromium silica catalysts ziegler natta catalysts or metallocene catalysts. High density polyethylene or hdpe is a commonly used petroleum thermoplastic and the most used of the three polyethylenes for a wide range of applications. It is synthesized using metallocene catalysts and ethane units resulting is structure where ethane units are bonded together resulting in uhmwpe structure typically having 100 000 to 250 000 monomer units per. Hdpe is a very versatile plastic that has a wide range of applications from pipes to storage bottles.

With a high strength to density ratio hdpe is used in the production of plastic bottles corrosion resistant piping geomembranes and plastic lumber.