High-Impact Polyethylene Properties

Table 8.3 High-Impact Polyethylene Properties (courtesy of Delta Cooling Towers, Carborundum Corp., Fairfield, NJ)...

The shells of the cooling towers shown in Figure 8.1 are constructed of polyethylene. Table 8.3 summarizes some of the properties of high-impact polyethylene. This plastic is also employed in constructing fill packing. Table 8.4 also gives chemical resistance information on various plastic resins. 

Polypropylene polymers are typically modified with ethylene to obtain desirable properties for specific applications. Specifically, ethylene—propylene mbbers are introduced as a discrete phase in heterophasic copolymers to improve toughness and low temperature impact resistance (see Elastomers, ETHYLENE-PROPYLENE rubber). This is done by sequential polymerisation of homopolymer polypropylene and ethylene—propylene mbber in a multistage reactor process or by the extmsion compounding of ethylene—propylene mbber with a homopolymer. Addition of high density polyethylene, by polymerisation or compounding, is sometimes used to reduce stress whitening. In all cases, a superior balance of properties is obtained when the sise of the discrete mbber phase is approximately one micrometer. Examples of these polymers and their properties are shown in Table 2. Mineral fillers, such as talc or calcium carbonate, can be added to polypropylene to increase stiffness and high temperature properties, as shown in Table 3. 

In the mid-1950s a number of new thermoplastics with some very valuable properties beeame available. High-density polyethylenes produced by the Phillips process and the Ziegler process were marketed and these were shortly followed by the discovery and rapid exploitation of polypropylene. These polyolefins soon became large tonnage thermoplastics. Somewhat more specialised materials were the acetal resins, first introduced by Du Pont, and the polycarbonates, developed simultaneously but independently in the United States and Germany. Further developments in high-impact polystyrenes led to the development of ABS polymers. 

To improve the properties of PLA, plasticizers, special additives such as chain-extenders, polymer blends, and composites are commonly investigated. Martin and Averous (10) have studied the effects of various plasticizers on the properties of PLA. Pilla et al. (11-12) have investigated the effects of chain-extenders on the foaming properties of PLA. In addition, a vast number of studies have been conducted to enhance the properties of PLA by blending it with various polymers such as polyethylene oxide (PEO), polypropylene oxide (PPO), polyvinyl acetate, polyolefins, polystyrene, HIPS (high impact polystyrene), polyacetals, polycarbonate, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) (13-26). 

Studies on the morphology and on the melt rheological, tensile, and impact properties were carried out on ternary blend of iPP with two of the following polymers low and high density polyethylene, styrene-b-ethylene butylene-b-styrene triblock copolymer, polystyrene, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (30-33). The results are interpreted for the effect of each individual component by comparing the ternary blends with the respective iPP-based binary blends as the reference systems. 

This chapter covers fundamental and applied research on polyester/clay nanocomposites (Section 31.2), which includes polyethylene terephthalate (PET), blends of PET and poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxy-late) (PEN), and unsaturated polyester resins. Section 31.3 deals with polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)-montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites, including blends of low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), and high density polyethylene (HDPE). Section 31.4 analyzes the fire-retardant properties of nanocomposites made of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), layered clays, and nonhalogenated additives. Section 31.5 discusses the conductive properties of blends of PET/PMMA (poly (methyl methacrylate)) and PET/HDPE combined with several types of carbon... 

Polyallomers combine the most desirable properties of both crystalline polypropylene and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and can offer impact strengths three or four times that of polypropylene. Resistance to heat distortion is better than that of HDPE but not quite as good as that of polypropylene. Polyallomer has better abrasion resistance than polypropylene and comparable hingeforming characteristics. 

Although the electrical properties of polycarbonates are not as impressive as those observed with polyethylene, they are adequate for many purposes. These properties, coupled with the high impact strength, heat and flame resistance, transparency, and toughness have led to the extensive use of these resins in electronics and electrical engineering, which remains the largest single field of their application. Polycarbonate is the only material that can provide such a combination of properties, at least at a reasonable cost. 

The high impact strength, dimensional stability and optical clarity (low crystallinity) of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) together with its low dielectric loss have led to a range of applications embracing optical components, CD-ROMs, film capacitors and safety-related products Subsequent market demands for enhanced physical properties has stimulated the development of a range of commercial blends of which rubber-modified bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) with polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are amongst the more successful ... 

Donskoi and co-workers [54] showed that each of the components of a chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE) mix has its own influence on the fireproofing properties and chemical processes that occur. In this case, the thermal properties of the vulcanisates of CSPE were studied, and also the heat flows from the flame on the surface of the specimen. It was established that the thermooxidative breakdown of CSPE and vulcanisates based on it during heating under dynamic conditions, is a multi-stage process. The results of tests involving various fillers and plasticisers made it possible to create rubber-like, high-impact resistant materials. 

---