Polyethylene
Polyethylene is a widely used ingredient in cosmetics, personal care, and skincare formulations. Depending on its function, it may serve as a moisturizer, preservative, emulsifier, or active ingredient to enhance the overall effectiveness and performance of a product.
Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including bottles, cups, jars, etc.). As of 2017[update], over 100 million tonnes of polyethylene resins are being produced annually, accounting for 34% of the total plastics market.
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| Names | |
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| IUPAC name
Polyethene or poly(methylene)
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| Other names
Polyethylene
Polythene | |
| Identifiers | |
| Abbreviations | PE |
| ChemSpider |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.121.698 |
| KEGG | |
| MeSH | Polyethylene |
PubChem CID
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| UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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| Properties | |
| (C2H4)n | |
| Density | 0.88–0.96 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 115–135 °C (239–275 °F; 388–408 K) |
| Not soluble | |
| log P | 1.02620 |
| −9.67×10−6 (HDPE, SI, 22 °C) | |
| Thermochemistry | |
Std enthalpy of
formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
−28 to −29 kJ/mole |
| 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).
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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. Being a hydrocarbon, polyethylene is colorless to opaque (without impurities or colorants) and combustible.
