Nomenclature
CAS number: 9002-88-4
Ethene homopolymer; Agilene (Am. Agile); Alathon (DuPont); Alkathene (ICI); Courlene (Courtaulds); Lupolen (BASF); Platilon (Toyo); Polythene (DuPont); Pylen (Toyo); Reevon (Reeves).
Description and references
Mol wt about 1500-100,000. C 85.7%, H 14.3%.
Prepd by polymerization of liq ethylene at high temps and high or
low pressure. Reviews: Aggarwal, Sweeting, Chem. Rev. 57, 665-742 (1957);
Raff, Allison, Polyethylene vol. XI of High Polymers series (Interscience, New York, 1956);
Faith et al., Industrial Chemicals (Wiley, New York, 3rd ed., 1965) pp 624-630.
Properties
Plastic solid of milky transparency. d420 0.92. Tough
and flexible at room temps, mp 85-110°. Breaks with cryst fracture at -50°. Good electrical
insulator. Surface resistivity: 1014 ohms. Will burn,
but hardly supports combustion. Stable to water, non-oxidizing acids
and alkalies, alcohols, ethers, ketones, esters at ordinary temps.
Attacked by oxidizing acids such as nitric acid and perchloric acid,
free halogens, benzene, petr ether, gasoline and lubricating oils,
aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons.Use
Laboratory tubing; in making prostheses; electrical
insulation; packaging materials; kitchenware; tank and pipe linings;
paper coatings; textile stiffeners.