PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE AND HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

Abstract

Polyethylene is an example for synthetic plastic which has repeating units of carbon and hydrogen atoms in it. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and High density polyethylene (HDPE) are the two major types of polyethylene which differ in their molecular weight, arrangement, thermal properties and crystalline nature. The physical and chemical characterization of LDPE and HDPE was studied by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The thermal properties of LDPE and HDPE were analyzed by DSC, functional groups by FTIR and crystalline nature by XRD. There was no much difference observed in LDPE and HDPE except their thermal properties such as their melting temperatures, change in enthalpy and glass transition temperatures.