Polyethylene (PE, (C2H4)n) is the light, versatile synthetic resin made from the polymerisation of ethylene. A PE is the most widely used plastic in the world, being made into products ranging from clear food wrap and shopping bags to detergent bottles and automobile fuel tanks. A PE is a long chain of carbon atoms with 2 hydrogen atoms attached to each carbon atom that has good mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical and optical properties.
Reference Definition by Wikipedia: Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most common plastic. As of 2017, over 100 million tonnes of polyethylene resins are produced annually, accounting for 34% of the total plastics market. Its primary use is in packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes, containers including bottles, etc.). 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. Polyethylene is a thermoplastic; however, it can become a thermoset plastic when modified (such as cross-linked polyethylene).
Related Definitions in the Project: The Plant and Process Unit
