Polyethylene Extrusion

Polyethylene (PE) is a macromolecule formed by the polymerization of olefin monomer units and belongs to the largest family of polyolefins. One of the methods to process PE is extrusion. In the extrusion process Polyethylene has a melting point range of 120 to 180 degrees Celsius for medium to high density PE and 105 to 115 degrees Celsius for low-density polyethylene. The good heat resistant properties enable it to be used in high and low temperatures.

Due to its high production volume, up to 100 million tons per year on a worldwide basis, and its versatility, it’s by far the most present polymer in our daily lives. Its structure is very simple, a long chain of carbon atoms with two hydrogen atoms bonded to each carbon atom. Offering a unique combination of useful properties at a low price, polyethylene has quickly become the polymer with the highest production volume in the world.

Polyethylene properties

High toughness
Ductility
High chemical resistance
Low water vapour permeability
Good electric insulator,
Very low water absorption
Ease of processing
Recyclable

When talking about polyethylene, we should consider that this polymer is divided into different types depending on the:

molecular weight
density
degree of branching

These characteristics, which can be modified during the production of the polymer itself, have a significant impact on the technical specifications of the final product, improving a number of parameters and making it perfect for some specific applications.

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Types of Polyethylene

Polyethylene is classified by its density so there are a consistent number of PE type to be processed in Extrusion:

High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)
Ultra-low-molecular-weight polyethylene (ULMWPE or PE-WAX)
High-molecular-weight polyethylene (HMWPE)
High-density cross-linked polyethylene (HDXLPE)
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX or XLPE)
Medium-density polyethylene (MDPE)
Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)
Very-low-density polyethylene (VLDPE)
Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE)

Although the most common and well-known types are HDPE (high density polyethylene) and LDPE (low density polyethylene).

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Applications of Polyethylene

As stated above, depending on their properties, the various types of PE have different applications.

Pipe Fluid and gas transfer solutions,
Packaging solutions, Consumer goods,
Agriculture ropes and
Fibers and Textile
Pipes and fittings
Packaging of medical products and bottles

Polyethylene film is the most widely used material for packaging due to its transparency and flexibility combined with the strength and ease with which it takes the shape of the object to be protected. LDPE and LLDPE are the ones most used for this type of application.

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is now replacing Kevlar in the production of bulletproof vests.

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Bausano custom Polyethylene extrusion

Bausano extruders can process a variety of different types of PE, the most common are:

HDPE, characterised by low branching, higher mechanical and chemical resistance and a higher melting temperature than LDPE. It is used in blow-moulding to make containers for household chemicals such as dishwashing detergents and industrial packaging drums. It is also commonly extruded in the form of tubing used, for example, in the transportation of drinking water, natural gas and other fluids.
LDPE, mainly used for pipe extrusion. Low density polyethylene is used for drinking water systems, transfer of other fluids and chemical compounds. LDPE and LLDPE pipes resist stress cracking well and withstand repeated flexing very well with no significant signs of wear. Furthermore, like other types of polyethylene, it is non-toxic and does not impart any odour to the liquids with which it comes into contact.
PE-X, also known as cross-linked polyethylene, is a high-density PE made by adding butene molecules to its chemical structure. This further "cross-links" the material and increases its mechanical and heat resistance. They are therefore used for the construction of hot water systems.
PE-RT is a polyethylene (PE) resin in which the molecular architecture has been designed to incorporate a sufficient number of bonding chains to allow operation at elevated temperatures. The chains bind together the crystal structures in the polymer, resulting in improved properties such as strength and performance at elevated temperatures, chemical resistance and resistance to slow crack growth.

Bausano Extruder for PE application are perfect for the extrusion of PE pipe. The most used in this case are the single screw extruders for PE pipe extrusion.

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