Polyethylene markets

Also, the copolymerisation of ethylene and a-olefins can be readily performed using Phillips catalysts. The copolymerisation of ethylene with 1-butene or 1-hexene is the basis of the large expanding linear low-density polyethylene market [28,37,43,237]. 

Products SCLAIRTECH process can produce PE products with density range of 0.905-0.965 kg/m3, melt index (Ml) from 0.2 to in excess of 150, and narrow to broad molecular weight distribution (MWD). This allows producers to participate in the majority of the polyethylene market segments including among low-, medium- and high-density films, rotational, injection and blow molding applications. 

The geomembrane resins are also relatively new. But the introduction of a new grade of polyethylene is difficult. The polyethylene market usually adsorbs new discoveries not by replacing the old grades, but in entirely new applications that spring up to take advantage of new polymer properties. So it was with LLDPE, and this is where metallocenes are also having their main impact. 

High-density polyethylene was produced commercially during these early years with both the Phillips Cr-based catalyst and the Ziegler Ti-based catalyst however, each catalyst type provided a different type of polymer structure that addressed different polyethylene markets and applications. For the most part, each product type was unique to these markets and consequently HDPE manufactured by each type of catalyst did not compete with each other. 

In order to put the global polyethylene market as of 2010 into perspective, it is helpful to compare the demand of the five most common thermoplastic materials. These are polyethylene, crystalline polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene. 

Polyethylene is unique among these five thermoplastic materials because the polyethylene market consists of three distinct types of products which are high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE)... 

Table 1.5 2004 Global polyethylene market by product type.

In order to gain a better understanding of the global polyethylene market, it is important to examine the growth of the market based in the five individual regions of the globe. These are North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East/Africa and Asia/Pacific. 

Comparison of Other Global Polyethylene Markets with the North American Market... 

To better illustrate the relatively advanced growth stage of the North American polyethylene market compared to the total of the other four global regions, a comparison of the annual per capita consumption of polyethylene for 2006 in North America vs the remainder of the globe is shown in Table 1.8. 

Table 1.8 Comparison of global polyethylene market to the North American market.

The ptupose of the discussion of the North American polyethylene market in terms of annual per capita consumption, compared to the atmual per capita consumption of the global polyethylene market, was to illustrate the relatively advanced growth stage the North American market occupies compared to the remainder of the world. 

The elastomers and film products highlighted in Table 4.1 represent examples of the introduction of new products into the polyethylene markets that were the direct result of the development of single-site catalysts. The injection molding and rotational molding markets remain dominated by Ti-based Ziegler catalysts. 

However by the end of 2010 consumption continued to expand, with a global polyethylene consumption of 154 billion poimds, which is a 6% increase over the 2007 period summarized above. Ihe consumption data for the individual segments of the polyethylene market for 2010 were HDPE, 69 bilHon pounds LLDPE, 46 billion poimds and LDPE, 39 billion pounds. 

HDPE accounts for about 42 percent of the domestic polyethylene market. It is harder, more rigid, and less waxy in appearance than HP-LDPE. Its higher density gives it better gas barrier properties. Because it softens above 100°C, containers made with HDPE can be sterilized, but those made with LDPE cannot. It is extruded into pipe, trash bags, food packaging, multiwalled sack liners, wire and cable coverings, and thick industrial film. A large application is for blow-molded containers and housewares. 

Phillips Petroleum started commercial production of their high density polyethylene in 1956. Their product had a density of approximately 0.96 g/cm with an accompanying improvement of stiffness and strength relative to the Ziegler-Natta type of polyethylenes. Phillips licensed their invention to many companies by the middle of the 1970s their process had come to dominate the worldwide high density polyethylene market. 

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