Polyethylene: Manufacturing Cycle and Environmental Impact Essay

Other raw materials isolated from petroleum are benzene and xylenes, made to make polystyrene, nylons, and polyesters.

Polymers are formed through a process of polymerisation reactions (10), the most common reaction types being addition and condensation reactions (10). In an addition polymerisation reaction (Figure 1), double-bonded hydrocarbons (alkenes) react together to break their double bonds and covalently bond to form monomers (10). Highly branched molecules have the inability to 'line up' with one another which causes an amorphous solid, which does not have a predictable arrangement or repeating pattern (10). Long-chain molecules have regular and repeating structure which causes cyrstallinity, due to the increased attraction of intermolecular forces (10). Condensation reactions occur when a hydrocarbon molecule also contains oxygen, where two functional groups containing hydrogen are present on each molecule (10). These molecules form a dimer when attached together which then combine to create a polymer, and results in a water product

For many decades plastic was used for numerous things such as water bottles to tires. But what concerns researchers now is the conversion of plastic to oil, without the dangers of extracting oil from the Earth. Many of us plastic is a part of our daily lives from retail to the average Joe down the street working on his garage. Some do not realize the dangers of plastic and what it has done to the planet, others, have realized the dangers and are seen as crazy conservationists. Recently, a group of researchers in China have found a way to convert raw plastic to oil. While back at home in the U.S. there are a few companies that have been working on this since the late 90’s and early 2000’s. There are several ways this conversion will benefit you.

If you look around yourself you may notice that a great amount of the things around you are made up of plastic. You may also notice that all these plastic objects are different. For example, some are more durable while others are more delicate. There are many different types of plastics that exist; different plastics are used for different things. Polypropylene is a very common plastic, one that in some way, shape or form, we likely use everyday. According to a Britannica article, polypropylene is “a synthetic resin built up by the polymerization of propylene” (Britannica, 2016). What this really means is that polypropylene is a synthetic compound made up of propylene that goes through the process of polymerization, which is when monomers are

Polyester fibers are produced from a chemical reaction between an acid and an alcohol. When this reaction occurs two or more molecules combine to make a large molecule in which the structure repeats itself throughout its length. Polyester fibers commonly form very long molecules that are very sturdy and strong (Madehow, 2016).

Many different factors come into play in determining the “greenness” of products and materials; very often the distinctions are not black-and-white. Much of the complexity in examining the environmental and health impacts of materials results from the fact that the impacts can occur at different points in the life cycle of a product, and those impacts can vary tremendously from product to product (Wilson).

This type of bio-plastic is made up of petroleum. So, this type of bio-plastic also produces CO2 at the time of manufacturing. But this type of bio-plastic degrades automatically in the soil and water within few days to few months depending upon environmental conditions. It helps in waste management, as this type of plastic degrades automatically in the environment and thus no need for incineration process. As per different study reports, when we burn 1 kg of plastic, .670 kg to 4.600 kg of CO2 is produced. This produced CO2 highly depends on environmental conditions and temperature of incineration. Problem of land filling is also reduced as this plastic degrades in less time in the environment. In this project,

There were three types of polyethylene, Low-density polyethylene, High density polyethylene and Low linear density polyethylene. Polyethylene produced from ethylene. Ethylene is produced from oil or natural gas. Ethylene plants separated either naphtha molecules (derived from crude oil) or ethane molecules (derived from natural gas). The ethylene derived from this

Professor Giulio Natta produced the first polypropylene resin in Spain in 1954. Natta utilised catalysts developed for the polyethylene industry and applied the technology to propylene gas. Commercial production began in 1957 and polypropylene usage has displayed strong growth from this date.

Next, the raw-material slurry is stored in raw-material slurry storage tank while flowing into the esterification reactor. Upon reaching the esterification reactor, esterification reaction of the raw-material slurry occurs. In the polycondensation reactor, polybutylene succinate is synthesized through a polycondensation reaction of the ester; wherein the upstream side of the polycondensation reactor is divided into, an initial polycondensation reactor, an intermediate polycondensation reactor, and a final polycondensation reactor. A catalyst which is water-Stable Lewis Acid is added into the polycondensation reactor in an amount from 1000 ppm to 3000 ppm in relation to succinic acid. The reaction time in the intermediate polycondensation reactor ranges from 0.25 hours to 0.75 hours and the reaction temperature in the final polycondensation reactor ranges from 245° C. to 255°

Polymers effect every ones life almost every day allowing us to make many valuable items that can help make our lives easier including plastic, PVC, and shellac there are also natural polymers that we benefit from such as rubber and amber. Polymers are truly a great and very beneficial item to everyone for they are tough, durable, and cheap but they are also recyclable which can be very beneficial to our environment and societal needs. The only negative effect is when it is not properly disposed but this is really the users fault not the actual item its self

Plastic bags are usually made out of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a strong, durable plastic made from ethylene monomers (Clark). 134 million metric tons of ethylene are produced each year as of 2014, with 28% of that production going towards the manufacture of HDPE (Lazonby, “Ethene”). Ethylene is produced from oil and natural gas, and in the process has significant environmental consequences. According to a 2013 study by Ghanta, Fahey, and Subramaniam published in the journal Applied Petrochemical Research, “For ethylene produced from naphtha and ethane [the two main sources of ethylene], the energy expended during the extraction and ocean-based transportation of fossil fuel sources (crude oil and natural gas) contributes significantly to adverse environmental impacts such as GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions, acidification, and eco-toxicity.” To make ethylene, fossil fuels must be extracted, transported, and processed (Lazonby, “Ethene”). Then the ethylene must be processed to make HDPE (Lazonby, “Poly(Ethene)”). HDPE, in the form of plastic pellets, is then transported to the plastic bag manufacturer. The manufacturing process of Novolex, a maker of plastic packaging products that sells bags under the brand name Hilex Poly (“Company Overview”), is described

The destruction of the earth is becoming a more and more prevalent issue. Between water, air, radioactive, and even light pollution, the more advanced humans become, the worse we seem to treat our planet. One of the most commonly used products that contributes greatly to the mistreatment of our earth is plastic. Most plastics are made from petroleum or natural gas; non-renewable resources extracted and processed using energy-intensive techniques that destroy fragile ecosystems. The manufacture of plastic, as well as its destruction by incineration, pollutes air, land and water, and exposes workers to toxic chemicals, including carcinogens.

There are two types of plastic - thermoset and thermoplastic. Thermoset is a restrain plastic. It retains its strength and shape even when heated, and at the it cannot be broken down. It is ideal for the production of the permanent component with large, solid shape. For example, shoes soles, circuit boards and kitchen utensils. Thermoplastic can be melted and reshape repeatedly, which means it is recyclable and reusable, so it is more environmental friendly than thermoset. It was commonly used in plastic milk bottle, Lego bricks and guitar picks.

Polypropylene was proved as one of the most interesting commodity thermoplastics in the last years. Since polypropylene (PP), are widely used in many