Polyethylene

In everyday life, some materials can be often come across about which very few people think about. Most people don’t give a second to think about it, any random object like detergent bottles, wrapping bags, food wrappers, etc. People come across so many such items but we do not tend to think how the manufacturer of that item was made something so incredible. The objects that can be often seen and used casually in their daily lives are a result of a lot of scientific research and hard work. Even a small piece of plastic is made after a very long chemical process. Polyethylene is another chemical that is used to make very mundane things like shopping bags, food wrappers, and detergent bottles. In today’s life, the different types of polyethylene used are varied and diverse. 

What is polyethylene?

Polyethylene is a material that is made out of the polymerization of ethylene. Polyethylene is a light material that has a synthetic resin-like structure. The polyethylene material is one of the most crucial members of the family of polyolefin resins. This material is considered the most commonly used plastic in the whole world. It is used to make different kinds of bottles, clear food wrappers, shopping bags, and fuel tanks of most automobiles. This material can also be cut or spun to be converted into synthetic fibers or it can be made to have an elastic ability similar to that of rubber. 

The chemical composition and the molecular structure of polyethylene

After cracking ethane, ethylene is produced. It is a gaseous hydrocarbon. Ethylene is a huge constituent of natural gas and when further distilled, petroleum will form. The molecules of ethylene usually consist of two units of methylene that are linked with the help of a double bond formed between atoms of carbon. It is a structure that can be shown by CH2=CH2. Due to the effect of polymerization act as a catalyst. The carbon atoms that are linked by the double bonds are breakable and the extra single bond that could be created can be used to form a link between one single carbon atom with an ethylene molecule. Thus, the final result that is created is a repeating unit of a big polymeric molecule. 

The key to the properties of polyethylene is the constant repetition of the simple structure. Linear or branched forms are possibly to be produced when the long sequence of hydrogen atoms is linked to the backbones of carbon. The branched-like structures that are formed are polyethylene which is of low-density and they are known as low-density polyethylene. However, the linear versions are known as high-density polyethylene or ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene.

History of polyethylene

In 1933, polyethylene of low density was produced for the first time. It was manufactured by the Imperial Chemical Industry, which was located in England. This was produced by the Imperial Chemical Industry when they were conducting some studies on the effects of very high pressure on polyethylene when going through the process of polymerization. Polyethylene was first commercially produced in 1939 after the Imperial Chemical Industry was granted a patent for conducting this process. Polyethylene was first used as an insulating material for radar cables in the event of World War Two. Ever since there has been a variety of high-density polyethylene.

Conclusion

Different types of polyethylene are used very widely in today’s world. It can be often seen that many objects are made of polyethylene, and are been used extensively in the modern world. We can see the use of polyethylene in wrappers of food, shopping bags, detergent bottles, squeeze bottles, grocery bags, agricultural mulch, insulation for wire and cable, different types of toys, and housewares. Therefore, the use of polyethylene is very vast and important. The chemical composition of this material is also unique and makes it a unique material using which plastic-based products can be made. Products that are made of polyethylene are long-lasting due to their plastic nature. It can also be made elastic. Moreover, it is not decomposable and thus, making it unfriendly to nature. However, the use of polyethylene is vast and will grow furthermore in the future.