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POLYETHYLENE
WE USE PE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF OUR PRODUCTS
Polyethylene (PE) has always been the material that underlies the production of Plastisac. In fact, its thermoplastic features allow for varied uses, in addition to being 100% reusable.
What is Polyethylene?
Polyethylene is the simplest of synthetic polymers and the most commonly used among plastics. It is a thermoplastic resin that looks like a white solid and has excellent insulating properties and chemical stability. This makes it a very versatile material, since, based on the molecular weight distribution and the degree of branching, polyethylene types can be obtained with different properties and uses, among which we identify high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and expanded polyethylene.
Types of PE used in Plastisac
For our production process, we essentially use three types of Polyethylene:
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer made from petroleum. Thanks to its mildly grain texture, it offers greater tensile strength than other less dense polyethylene varieties. Mechanical differences are thus more relevant than density difference, so much so that the HDPE has higher specific strength. It is harder and visually more opaque, but can withstand higher temperatures (120°C for short periods, 110°C continuously). HDPE contains carbon and hydrogen as chemical elements.
Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer made from petroleum. It was the first type of polyethylene to be synthesized in 1933 by means of a high-pressure process with radical polymerization, a production method that is still used today. Manufactured in translucent or opaque varieties, it is quite flexible and resistant, in addition to having excellent impermeability to water. It can also withstand temperatures of 80°C continuously and 95°C for a short time. LDPE, which despite the competition of more recent polymers continues to be one of the most used on the market, is commonly recycled.
History of polyethylene
Originally called polymethylene, it was accidentally discovered by a German chemist in 1898. The industrial history of polyethylene, however, began only in 1933, the year in which its first synthesis was made useful for large-scale production processes. This production procedure was refined two years later by another chemist, Michel Perrin, who finally understood how to reproduce it at will, in order to shape the material. After a long phase of academic research, only in 1933 was polyethylene produced for commercial purposes.
The endless recycling process of polyethylene
Polyethylene is delivered at Plastisac accompanied by a lot identification code that allows learning what route the material followed up to the time of delivery. Both bags used for the packaging of material, and residues of plastic material produced during the various industrial phases, are reused in a continuous process of polyethylene recovery, which allows our Company maintaining high quality standards with low environmental impact.
