Polyethylene is one of the most important polymers, made from petroleum, that petrochemical plants (upstream industries) produce in Iran in various grades of LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, etc. These grades have different densities that give rise to a variety of applications.
The variety of different grades of polyethylene based on its density, its widespread use and its ease of access in the country increase its potential for use in various industries and investment in this field. For instance, Polyethylene is used in construction, agriculture, automobile industry, textiles, etc. and it is also widely used in the packaging industry as we have seen high demand and importance of packaging worldwide in recent years. Due to its diversity of use, it is very important in the industry.
Based on the application of polyethylene, there are various commercial types of polyethylene grades. For example, depending on the density of polyethylene, it is divided into extrusion, injection, blow, rotary, rotomolding, piping and film applications. Therefore, depending on the final application, the use of various grades of polyethylene should be considered.
Commercial types of polyethylene
In general, polyethylene is supplied based on density in the following types:
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE): This is a linear polymer with a density of 0.94 to 0.965 grams per cubic centimeter.
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE): Its density is set between 0.91 to 0.925 g/cm3.
Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE): This polymer has short side branches on the main chain.
Medium-density polyethylene (MDPE): The density of this group is about 0.926 to 0.94 g/cm3.
Properties and benefits of polyethylene
- Good processability
- Impact resistant
- Low price
- High chemical resistance
- Resistant to oxidants
Disadvantages of polyethylene
In addition to the advantages of polyethylene, it should be noted that its melting temperature is relatively low and its degradation is done at a temperature of 270 degrees Celsius. Therefore, in terms of processability, this issue should be considered.
