Properties of Iran Low density polyethylene (LDPE)
Under the polyethylene class of materials, Low density polyethylene (LDPE) has shaped the packaging and manufacturing industry’s landscape, Being the oldest and most mature of the polyethylene’s.
LDPE was first produced in 1933 by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) using a high-pressure process via free radical polymerization. Its manufacturers employ the same method today.
It is a highly branched polyethylene, having various amounts of short and long branches, giving it a density range of 917-930 kg/m3.
Although it does not have the other polyethylene’s strength, LDPE has good clarity and processability due to its short and long chain branches. It is also more flexible than other polyethylene’s.
Other advantages of LDPE are listed below:
- Impact resistant from -40 C to 90 C
- Moisture resistance
- Good chemical resistance
- Good electrical insulation
- Easy to process and mould
- Food grades available
- Readily processed by all thermoplastic methods
The good chemical resistance of LDPE makes it immune to:
- Dilute Acid
- Dilute Alkalis
- Some Oils and Greases
- Alcohols
LDPE is used primarily in film applications. These films are used for both packaging and non-packaging applications and can be in the form of shrink-wrap and stretch films. Other applications include extrusion coatings, sheathing in cables, and injection moulding applications. In these applications, the products produced are:
plastic bags, wraps, and packaging
- Trays and general-purpose containers like bottles
- Very soft and pliable parts such as Snap-On lids
- Corrosion protection layer for work surfaces
- Computer hardware covers and packaging
- Features that need to be weldable and machinable
- Parts that require flexibility, such as wires and cables
- consumer goods such as housewares, flexible toys, and agricultural films
LDPE is considered a recyclable material, and recycled LDPE can be used to produce many different items such as shipping envelopes, garbage can liners, floor tile, paneling, furniture, compost bins, trashcans, landscape timber, and outdoor lumber.