What is pe material? What properties does it have? | Detailed Explanation

We can contact with some PE material in daily life, but what is PE material? Maybe this question is not understood by many people. So we will introduce the PE material first. PE material usually refers to polyethylene, which is a thermoplastic resin. It is non-toxic, odorless and feels like wax. It has good low-temperature resistance and chemical stability, which is insoluble in many solvents at room temperature, low water absorption, and good electrical insulation.

It is widely used in many different fields. In the clothing industry, PE material is a very good waterproof material and can be used for layers of clothes, such as windbreakers, and storm jackets. It is also very common in daily necessities. The disposable water cups and disposable meal spoons we usually use are made of this material.

The manufacturing process of PE material

After discussing the question “What is pe material”, we want to give a simple introduction to its manufacturing process. PE material is generated by the polymerization of ethylene. Ethylene, a stable molecule, polymerizes only when it brings into contact with a catalyst. 

The most common catalyst is titanium chloride, which is so-called Ziegler-Natta catalyst. Another catalyst is the Phillips catalyst, which is produced by depositing chromium oxide on silicon dioxide. PE material can be produced by free radical polymerization, but this method has limited practicality and usually requires high-pressure equipment. The transformation is highly exothermic. 

The properties of PE materials 

1. Mechanical property of PE material

PE materials have lower strength, hardness and stiffness. But its ductility, impact strength and friction are not good. It shows strong creep under sustained force and can reduce its creep deformation by adding short fibers.

2. Thermal performance of PE material

Compared to other thermoplastics, the commercial use of PE materials is limited by its low melting point. For ordinary commodity-grade medium and high-density PE materials, the melting point is in the range of 120 to 130 degrees Celsius. The melting point of common low-density polyethylene is usually 105 to 115 degrees Celsius. Burning usually occurs above 349 degrees Celsius.

3. Chemical property of PE material

The chemical property of PE material is similar to that of paraffin wax. Most PE materials have good chemical resistance, which means that they are not attacked by strong acids or bases, and can resist mild oxidants and reducing agents. PE materials (except crosslinked polyethylene) can usually be dissolved in aromatics or chlorinated solvents at high temperatures.

4. Electrical property of PE material

PE material is a good electrical insulator with good electrical tree resistance. However, it is prone to pick up static electricity. We can reduce it by adding graphite, carbon black, or antistatic agents.

Environmental problems after using PE material

By discussing the topic of “what is pe material” and its chemical properties, we know that this material is not degradable. So we have to think about the environmental problem. Like other synthetic plastics, PE material is not easily biodegradable, and it can accumulate in landfills. The widespread use of polyethylene makes waste management difficult if it is not recycled.

In Japan, how to get rid of plastic in an environmentally friendly way was a major issue of discussion. Until 2011, this question became a bigger issue. It is listed as a 90-billion-dollar solution. Japan has increased plastic recycling since 2008 in a very rapid way, but much plastic packaging is still in a wasting situation.

In 2010, a Japanese researcher reported a prototype of a machine, which can produce oil from polyethylene with a small, independent steam distillation process.

Conclusion: 

This brings us to conclude this article on the topic of "what is pe material". PE material usually stands for polyethylene, which is formed by the polymerization of ethylene. We introduce the properties of PE materials from their mechanical properties, chemical properties, electrical properties and thermal properties. Due to its good properties, PE material is widely applied both in industry fields and daily life.