[Chemical Knowledge]：Properties, uses, upstream and downstream raw materials, storage methods, common uses of polyethylene

Polyethylene Properties

Polyethylene (Polyethylene, PE) is a thermoplastic polymer formed by the polymerization of ethylene monomer. It has excellent chemical stability, corrosion resistance, electrical insulation and wear resistance. According to its molecular weight and density, polyethylene can be divided into low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and other types. LDPE has high flexibility and transparency, suitable for the manufacture of film, packaging materials, HDPE has high rigidity and heat resistance, suitable for the manufacture of pipes, bottles and other products; LLDPE combines the advantages of LDPE and HDPE, has good impact resistance and puncture resistance.

Polyethylene use

Polyethylene is widely used in various industries because of its excellent performance and wide adjustability. In the field of packaging, polyethylene film is used in the manufacture of food packaging bags, shopping bags, plastic wrap and so on. In the manufacture of pipes and containers, HDPE is used to produce various types of pipes, tanks and water tanks. The electrical and electronic field uses the electrical insulation properties of polyethylene to manufacture the insulation layer and sheath of wire and cable. Polyethylene is also used in the manufacture of household appliances, toys, medical equipment, etc. Due to its biocompatibility, polyethylene is also used in the medical industry to make products such as prostheses and medical catheters.

Polyethylene Upstream Feedstock

The main raw material of polyethylene is ethylene (C2H4), which can be obtained by petroleum cracking or natural gas decomposition. Petroleum cracking is the most important method of ethylene production, and its processes include thermal cracking and catalytic cracking. In the process of petroleum cracking, crude oil is decomposed into ethylene, propylene and other small molecular compounds by high temperature heating. Natural gas decomposition is obtained by steam cracking of ethane or propane in natural gas to obtain ethylene. The production of ethylene also involves a series of auxiliary chemicals and catalysts, the quality and supply stability of these chemicals and catalysts will also have an impact on the production of polyethylene.

Polyethylene Downstream Products

Polyethylene has a wide range of downstream products, covering a wide range from everyday consumer goods to industrial materials. Typical downstream products include various types of packaging materials, such as plastic bags, plastic films, etc.; various types of pipes and containers, such as gas pipelines, drinking water pipelines, water storage tanks and oil tanks, etc.; components of household appliances, such as refrigerator liner, washing machine shell, etc.; and insulation materials for electrical and electronic products, such as cable insulation and sheath. With the continuous advancement of technology, the application field of polyethylene is still expanding, and many new polyethylene materials are being developed to replace traditional materials and improve product performance and environmental protection.

Polyethylene storage method

Polyethylene as a chemical product, its storage needs to pay attention to certain conditions. Polyethylene should be stored in a cool, dry and ventilated environment, avoiding direct sunlight and high temperature to prevent material aging and performance degradation. The storage environment should avoid contact with corrosive chemicals such as strong acids and alkalis to prevent chemical reactions from affecting the performance of polyethylene. The storage of polyethylene materials should also avoid mechanical damage, especially for products that are easily damaged such as films and pipes. Appropriate packaging and storage methods should be used to prevent damage during handling and stacking.

Polyethylene Market Prospects

The polyethylene market has continued to grow in recent years, mainly due to its wide range of applications and excellent performance. With the global population growth and economic development, the demand for packaging materials, pipes and electronic products is increasing, and the demand for polyethylene market is also rising. With the improvement of environmental awareness, the progress of polyethylene recycling technology has also provided new impetus for its market development. In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology and the further expansion of application fields, the polyethylene market will continue to maintain a good growth trend. Market competition is also intensifying, and companies need to continuously innovate and improve product quality and production efficiency to maintain a competitive advantage.

Polyethylene Environmental Challenges and Solutions

Although polyethylene has a wide range of applications, but its environmental issues can not be ignored. The degradation rate of polyethylene products in nature is very slow, resulting in a large amount of plastic waste causing serious pollution to the environment. In order to solve this problem, the recycling and reuse technology of plastic waste is continuously studied and improved worldwide. Some companies have begun to use biodegradable plastics and bio-based plastics to replace traditional polyethylene materials. The government and all sectors of society are also actively promoting the classification and recycling of plastic waste and resource utilization, through policy guidance and public publicity, to improve the recovery rate of plastic waste and reduce environmental pollution.

Polyethylene future trends

In the future, the development of polyethylene materials will pay more attention to environmental protection and performance improvement. On the one hand, more environmentally friendly degradable polyethylene materials are developed to reduce the negative impact on the environment; on the other hand, the performance of polyethylene materials is improved by improving the polymerization process and adding functional additives to meet the diverse needs of materials in different application fields. With the application of intelligent manufacturing and digital technology, the efficiency and product quality of polyethylene production process will be further improved, providing more high-quality and high-performance polyethylene materials for the market.

As an important thermoplastic polymer, polyethylene plays an important role in modern industry and daily life because of its excellent properties and wide range of applications. Despite the environmental challenges, but with the progress of technology and social efforts, polyethylene market prospects are still broad. In the future, the polyethylene industry will continue to develop in the direction of being more environmentally friendly, efficient and multi-functional.