Low-density polyethylene

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Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is one of several varieties of polyethylene (PE). PEs, the dominant synthetic polymer, are produced in many forms that differ in terms of molecular weight, branching, and the incorporation of comonomers. Often these features are captured in terms of the density of the material. All forms of PE are colorless, odorless, rather chemically inert solids produced by the polymerization of ethylene, the monomer. LLDPE is a substantially linear polymer (polyethylene), with significant numbers of short branches. In 2013 the worldwide LDPE market reached a volume of about US$33 billion. A variety of LDPEs are known, which mainly differ by the degree of linearity vs branching. LDPE can be further classified: LDPE and linear low-density PE. The former is produced by free-radical polymerization and the latter by coordination polymerization (e.g. Ziegler-Natta catalysis).

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