Polyethylene: Properties, Production and Applications

Polyethylene, PE for short, is a thermoplastic resin made by polymerization of ethylene. With the development of the petrochemical industry, polyethylene production has been developed rapidly, and the output accounts for about 1/4 of the total output of plastics. The properties of polyethylene vary from species to species, mainly depending on the molecular structure and density. As one of the basic raw materials of the chemical industry, polyethylene is widely used, mainly for manufacturing films, containers, pipes, monofilaments, wires and cables, daily necessities, etc. It is also used as a high-frequency insulating material for TV and radar, etc. This paper briefly introduces the structure of HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE and other common polyethylene, analyzes their properties, and introduces the applications of this polyethylene in production and life. The paper also discusses polyethylene's preparation process, including the autoclave method, high pressure tubular method, gas-phase method, slurry method, and Solution method. In discussing the production methods, we also analyzed the catalysts used in the production process, such as Ziegler-Natta, Cr-based, metallocene, and non-metallocene.