Polyethylene information

Polyethylene
Names
	IUPAC name Polyethene or poly(methylene)
	Other names Polyethylene; Polythene
Identifiers
CAS Number	9002-88-4 ;
Abbreviations	PE
ChemSpider	none;
ECHA InfoCard	100.121.698
KEGG	C19503 ;
MeSH	Polyethylene
PubChem CID	6325;
UNII	3W404QE89S ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID8031946 ;
Properties
Chemical formula	(C2H4)n
Density	0.88–0.96 g/cm3
Melting point	115–135 °C (239–275 °F; 388–408 K)
Solubility in water	Not soluble
log P	1.02620
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−9.67×10−6 (HDPE, SI, 22 °C)
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of; formation (ΔfH⦵298)	−28 to −29 kJ/mole
Heat of combustion, higher value (HHV)	650-651 kJ/mole, 46 MJ/kg
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

The repeating unit within polyethylene in the most stable^[6] staggered conformation

Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic.^[7] It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including bottles, etc.). As of 2017^[update], over 100 million tonnes of polyethylene resins are being produced annually, accounting for 34% of the total plastics market.^[8]^[9]

Many kinds of polyethylene are known, with most having the chemical formula (C₂H₄)_n. PE is usually a mixture of similar polymers of ethylene, with various values of n. It can be low-density or high-density and many variations thereof. Its properties can be modified further by crosslinking or copolymerization. All forms are nontoxic as well as chemically resilient, contributing to polyethylene‘s popularity as a multi-use plastic. However, polyethylene‘s chemical resilience also makes it a long-lived and decomposition-resistant pollutant when disposed of improperly.^[10] Being a hydrocarbon, polyethylene is colorless to opaque (without impurities or colorants) and combustible.^[11]

^ Compendium of Polymer Terminology and Nomenclature – IUPAC Recommendations 2008 (PDF). Retrieved 28 August 2018.
^ ^a ^b Batra, Kamal (2014). Role of Additives in Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) Films. p. 9. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
^ "poly(ethylene)". ChemSrc.
^ Wapler, M. C.; Leupold, J.; Dragonu, I.; von Elverfeldt, D.; Zaitsev, M.; Wallrabe, U. (2014). "Magnetic properties of materials for MR engineering, micro-MR and beyond". JMR. 242: 233–242. arXiv:1403.4760. Bibcode:2014JMagR.242..233W. doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2014.02.005. PMID 24705364. S2CID 11545416.
^ ^a ^b Paul L. Splitstone and Walter H. Johnson (20 May 1974). "The Enthalpies of Combustion and Formation of Linear Polyethylene" (PDF). Journal of Research of the National Bureau Af Standards.
^ Hemakumara, G. P. T. S.; Madhusankha, T. G. Shamal (2023). "Challenges of Reducing Polythene and Plastic in Sri Lanka: A Case Study of Attanagalla Secretariat Division". Socially Responsible Plastic. Developments in Corporate Governance and Responsibility. 19: 59–73. doi:10.1108/S2043-052320230000019004. ISBN 978-1-80455-987-1.
^ Cite error: The named reference Ullmann was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Geyer, Roland; Jambeck, Jenna R.; Law, Kara Lavender (1 July 2017). "Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made". Science Advances. 3 (7): e1700782. Bibcode:2017SciA....3E0782G. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1700782. PMC 5517107. PMID 28776036.
^ "Plastics: The Facts" (PDF). Plastics Europe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
^ Yao, Zhuang; Jeong Seong, Hyeon; Jang, Yu-Sin (2022). "Environmental toxicity and decomposition of polyethylene". ScienceDirect: 1, 3. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
^ Sepe, Michael. "Understanding the 'Science' of Color". Plastics Technology. Retrieved 25 April 2024.

[1] Compendium of Polymer Terminology and Nomenclature – IUPAC Recommendations 2008 (PDF). Retrieved 28 August 2018.

[kamalbatra111-2] Batra, Kamal (2014). Role of Additives in Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) Films. p. 9. Retrieved 16 September 2014.

[chemsrc-3] "poly(ethylene)". ChemSrc.

[4] Wapler, M. C.; Leupold, J.; Dragonu, I.; von Elverfeldt, D.; Zaitsev, M.; Wallrabe, U. (2014). "Magnetic properties of materials for MR engineering, micro-MR and beyond". JMR. 242: 233–242. arXiv:1403.4760. Bibcode:2014JMagR.242..233W. doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2014.02.005. PMID 24705364. S2CID 11545416.

[NBS-5] Paul L. Splitstone and Walter H. Johnson (20 May 1974). "The Enthalpies of Combustion and Formation of Linear Polyethylene" (PDF). Journal of Research of the National Bureau Af Standards.

[6] Hemakumara, G. P. T. S.; Madhusankha, T. G. Shamal (2023). "Challenges of Reducing Polythene and Plastic in Sri Lanka: A Case Study of Attanagalla Secretariat Division". Socially Responsible Plastic. Developments in Corporate Governance and Responsibility. 19: 59–73. doi:10.1108/S2043-052320230000019004. ISBN 978-1-80455-987-1.

[Ullmann-7] Cite error: The named reference Ullmann was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[8] Geyer, Roland; Jambeck, Jenna R.; Law, Kara Lavender (1 July 2017). "Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made". Science Advances. 3 (7): e1700782. Bibcode:2017SciA....3E0782G. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1700782. PMC 5517107. PMID 28776036.

[9] "Plastics: The Facts" (PDF). Plastics Europe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.

[10] Yao, Zhuang; Jeong Seong, Hyeon; Jang, Yu-Sin (2022). "Environmental toxicity and decomposition of polyethylene". ScienceDirect: 1, 3. Retrieved 25 April 2024.

[11] Sepe, Michael. "Understanding the 'Science' of Color". Plastics Technology. Retrieved 25 April 2024.

Polyethylene information

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Names



IUPAC name Polyethene or poly(methylene)^[1]
Other names Polyethylene Polythene
Identifiers
CAS Number	9002-88-4^Y
Abbreviations	PE
ChemSpider	none
ECHA InfoCard	100.121.698
KEGG	C19503^Y
MeSH	Polyethylene
PubChem CID	6325
UNII	3W404QE89S^Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID8031946
Properties
Chemical formula	(C₂H₄)_n
Density	0.88–0.96 g/cm³^[2]
Melting point	115–135 °C (239–275 °F; 388–408 K)^[2]
Solubility in water	Not soluble
log P	1.02620^[3]
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−9.67×10⁻⁶ (HDPE, SI, 22 °C)^[4]
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of formation (Δ_fH^⦵₂₉₈)	−28 to −29 kJ/mole^[5]
Heat of combustion, higher value (HHV)	650-651 kJ/mole, 46 MJ/kg^[5]
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

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