Polyethylene plastic is one of the more common plastics we see every day. It is used in plastic bags, plastic sheeting (drop cloths etc.), hot melt glue and containers. Lik
…e all plastics polyethylene is made by joining small molecules (ethylene, whiich has the formula CH 2 =CH 2 ) together into much longer molecules. The final molecules may have many side branches (high density polyethylene) or few side branches (low density polyethylene). High density polyethylene is made in a low pressure process, low density polyethylene is made in a high pressure process. Hot melt glue is another form of the plastic known as atactic polyethylene. It's major distinction is that the molecules are not as uniform. To make polypropylene, ethylene gas is introduced into a reactor with a small amount of oxygen in the presence of a catalyst which speeds up the reaction. Control of temperature and pressure and the choice of catalyst determines the type of polyethylene created. At the end of the reactor the polyethylene is removed from the reactants and the unreacted material is recovered for reuse. (MORE)