High density polyethylene (HDPE) is a
polyethylene
thermoplastic made from
petroleum. It takes 1.75
kilograms of petroleum (in terms of
energy and raw materials) to make one kilogram
of HDPE. HDPE has little
branching, giving it stronger
intermolecular forces and
tensile strength than lower density
polyethylenes. The lack of branching is ensured
by an appropriate choice of
catalyst (e.g.
Ziegler-Natta catalysts) and
reaction conditions.
HDPE is resistant to many different solvents and has a wide variety of applications, including:
-
food
containers
- tupperware
- milk jugs
- liquid laundry detergent containers
- plastic bags
- containment of certain chemicals
- chemical-resistant piping systems
- geothermal heat transfer piping systems
HDPE is also used for cell liners in subtitle D sanitary landfills, wherein large sheets of HDPE are either extrusion or wedge welded to form a homogeneous chemical-resistant barrier, preventing the pollution of soil and groundwater by the liquid constituents of solid waste.
