Polyethylene
As the most common plastic material in the world, polyethylene has almost one third of the market share.
Being a thermoplastic polymer material with a high melting point, polyethylene shows good insulation properties, and excellent resistance to most acids, alkalis, alcohol, solvents, and oils.
Although there are several types of polyethylene material, two of them are the most common:
1. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
2. High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
Features & Applications
HDPE Features
- Shows higher tensile strength than other polyethylene types.
- Low production costs for a highly processable polymer.
- Shows high resistance at low temperatures.
- Provides superior electrical insulation.
- Has a very low water absorption property compared to other plastics.
- Shows low resistance to stress cracking.
- Shows lower stiffness compared to polypropylene.
- Shows high mold shrinkage.
- Shows very low UV resistance and low heat resistance.
- Not suitable for high-frequency welding and joining.
LDPE Features
- Low production costs for a highly processable polymer.
- Shows high impact strength and good weatherability under cold weather conditions.
- Provides superior electrical insulation.
- Has a very low water absorption property compared to other plastics.
- Shows low resistance to stress cracking.
- Shows low strength and stiffness and has a low maximum operating temperature. Therefore, it is not suitable to be used under extreme operating temperatures.
- Shows high gas permeability, particularly for CO2.
- Shows very low UV resistance.
- Highly flammable material.
- Not suitable for high-frequency welding and joining.
Applications
- Crates
- Shipping containers
- Packaging and labels
- Children’s toys
- Military equipment
- Fibers and textiles
Machining Options
Other Information
Please kindly click on below PDF document to see properties.
