Chemical News

Shampoo bottles, children's toys, and even bullet-proof vests. This Practical Guide provides information about every aspect of polyethylene production and use in a reader-friendly form. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of working with polyethylene, offering practical comment on the available types of polyethylene, properties and in-service performance, and processing.

The Practical Guide begins with general background to the polyethylene family, with price, production and market share information. It describes the basic types of polyethylene including virgin & filled polyethylene, copolymers, block and graft polymers and composites, and reviews the types of additives used in polyethylene. Polyethylenes offer a wide range of properties due to differences in structure and molecular weight, and the Practical Guide gives the low down on the properties, including, amongst others, rheological, mechanical, chemical, thermal, and electrical properties.

Design of a polymeric product for a certain application is a complex task, and this is particularly true for polyethylene with its variety of forms and available processing methods. This Practical Guide describes the processing issues and conditions for the wide range of techniques used for polyethylene, and it also considers post-processing and assembly issues. It offers guidance on product design and development issues, including materials selection.

The Practical Guide to Polyethylene is an indispensable resource for everyone working with this material

The sections cover:
1 Introduction
Provides a general introduction to the subject and gives information on price, production and market share.

2 Basic Types
Describes the basic types of PE available including filled PE, copolymers, blocka and graft polymers and composites.

3 Properties
Gives the low down on the properties of PE. This section includes: density, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, crystallinity, thermal properties, mechanical properties, electrical properties, optical properties, surface properties, hardness and scratch resistance, abrasion resistance, friction, acoustic properties, degradation, biological behaviour, biocompatibility, wear, molecular properties, performance in service, permeability, and cross linking.

4 Additives
Lists information about the types of additives used with PE including: antioxidants, inhibitors, stabilisers, masterbatches, antistatic agents, EMI/radiofrequency shielding, antifogging agents, biocides, blowing agents, biosensitisers, coupling agents, crosslinking agents, flame retardants, fillers/reinforcements/slip and antiblocking agents, metals deactivators, nucleating agents, and pigments and colorants.

5 Rheological Behaviour
Covers rheological behaviour including molar mass effects, steady flow properties, melt flow rates/index, viscosity/shear rate, dynamic rheological properties, chain structure effects and multiphase systems/inhomogeneous products.

6 Processing of Polyethylene Describes processing of PE including, injection moulding, extrusion, blow and stretched moulding, compression moulding, sintering and coating, thermoforming/vacuum forming, rotational moulding, transfer moulding, casting, and recycling and recyclates.

7 Considerations of Product Design and Development
Covers product design and development, including: materials selection, processing techniques, film blowing thermoforming, blow moulding, rotational moulding compression moulding and injection moulding.

8 Post-Processing and Assembly
Covers post processing and assembly. This includes: joining, assembly/fabrication, machining, joints, mechanical fastening, and decorating.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c14673

Laura Wood
Senior Manager
Research and Markets
e-mail protected from spam bots
Fax: +353 1 4100 980