Polyethylene agricultural applications

Glass-filled, toughened polyethylene terephthalate) (PET) resins can be readily moulded into highly impact-resistant structural parts for appliances and automotive components. The PET-based compounds are also suitable for construction (e.g. as structural members), equipment housings (e.g. printer and copier parts), agricultural applications (e.g. mower and tractor engine covers), materials handling (e.g. pallets and trays), furniture (e.g. office chair bases), as well as electrical and electronic applications. 

Polyethylene has excellent chemical resistance and is not attacked by acids, bases, or salts. (It is, however, attacked by strong oxidizing agents.) The other characteristics of polyethylene which have led to its widespread use are low cost, easy process ability, excellent electrical insnlation properties, toughness and flexibility even at low temperatures, freedom from odor and toxicity, reasonable clarity of thin films, and sufficiently low permeability to water vapor for many packaging, building, and agricultural applications. 

Polyethylene films for agricultural applications need to have high strength and elasticity, resistance to wind forces, and a long service life. They are mostly produced from low density PE combined with linear, low density PE and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. 

In other invention concentration of solvent in a fumigation adhesive used for bonding polyethylene to polyethylene in agricultural applications was also reduced by the reformulation of the copolymer used in the adhesive. 

Ecolyte later developed a masterbatch process for polyethylene in which MIPK was grafted to a low-density polyethylene substrate. This was produced for agricultural applications and the film was produced by Atlantic Packaging Limited of Toronto. The plastic film was sold mainly for farms in Florida growing melons and tomatoes. Atlantic found it difficult to compete with local producers who used recycled material. The masterbatch was later also marketed by Eco Atlantic in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Nickel phenolate recommended for polyethylene agricultural film and polypropylene artificial turf applications. 

Ethene is used to make a host of organic compounds it is also the starting material for the preparation of polyethylene (Chapter 23). Since it is a plant hormone, ethene finds application in agriculture. It is used to ripen fruit that has been picked green to avoid spoilage in shipping. Exposure to ethene at very low concentrations produces the colors we associate with ripe bananas and oranges. 

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