Title: Polyethylene
CAS Registry Number: 9002-88-4
CAS Name: Ethene homopolymer
Trademarks: Agilene (Am. Agile); Alathon (DuPont); Alkathene (ICI); Courlene (Courtaulds); Lupolen (BASF); Platilon (Toyo); Polythene (DuPont); Pylen (Toyo); Reevon (Reeves)
Literature References: Mol wt about 1500-100,000. C 85.7%, H 14.3%. Prepd by polymerization of liq ethylene at high temps and high or low pressure.
Reviews: Aggarwal, Sweeting,
Chem. Rev. 57, 665-742 (1957); Raff, Allison,
Polyethylene vol. XI of High Polymers series (Interscience, New York, 1956); Faith
et al., Industrial Chemicals (Wiley, New York, 3rd ed., 1965) pp 624-630.
Properties: Plastic solid of milky transparency. d420 0.92. Tough and flexible at room temps, mp 85-110°. Breaks with cryst fracture at -50°. Good electrical insulator. Surface resistivity: 1014 ohms. Will burn, but hardly supports combustion. Stable to water, non-oxidizing acids and alkalies, alcohols, ethers, ketones, esters at ordinary temps. Attacked by oxidizing acids such as nitric acid and perchloric acid, free halogens, benzene, petr ether, gasoline and lubricating oils, aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons.
Melting point: mp 85-110°
Density: d420 0.92
Use: Laboratory tubing; in making prostheses; electrical insulation; packaging materials; kitchenware; tank and pipe linings; paper coatings; textile stiffeners.
